Upgrading Your Inner Monologue - John 10:27
photo by Ben Vaughn on Unsplash
Sometimes it can be easy to get stuck inside our own heads. For some of us, fears, doubts, insecurities, and bitterness can continually spiral and fold in on themselves, leading us further into negativity and fruitless patterns.
For others it’s constant internal evaluation, thinking over and over-thinking, judging, categorizing, and strategizing to fit our world into nice boxes and plot the best course ahead for ourselves.
Or maybe you’re that type to carry-on imagined conversations with your partner, friends, or co-workers- working out what you would say and guessing how they might react (whether such a conversation is ever intended to come to fruition or not).
Fortunately, the God of the universe has so much more to communicate to us than what we can come up with in our own heads. He knows all the ins and outs, the hidden details, and hearts of those around us. He has promised to guide us in His infinite wisdom:
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Isaiah 30:21, NIV).
Yes, God is always listening and always speaking to us. The Carmelite monk, Brother Lawrence, famously led his simple life endeavoring to include God in every moment, even those as mundane as sweeping the floors and washing dishes. Since God continually speaks, we must endeavor to be continually listening for His voice.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” - John 10:27
Just ahead of this verse Jesus chastises the Jews who were questioning Him as the messiah. He told them by way of scriptures they would recognize and showed them by way of miracles and wonders, but they did not listen and they did not believe. These, Jesus notes, are indicators that they are not His sheep:
“Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep.” - John 10:25-26
We must make sure we are behaving like Jesus’ sheep. Make sure we’re listening and acting as though we believe we’re invited into the heavenly conversation. Take some time today to intentionally listen, and invite God into your inner thought-life. Strive to be in a constant, vibrant conversation with the living God (instead of merely talking to yourself).
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**For more on Brother Lawrence, see the book, Practicing His Presence, which is online free.