The Inner Whisper
Each of us has been endowed at birth by our Creator with an Inner Whisper – the voice of wisdom, a spiritual travel guide and companion that gently steers us to the right path leading to faith, hope and love.
THE INNER WHISPER
“Sometimes life hits us with an errant wave so huge it is impossible to miss. We fear our boat will sink and take us down with it. A loved one dies unexpectedly. We are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. We go through a divorce and have no idea what just happened. At times like these, we know that we must take a deep breath, many deep breaths, put both hands on deck, and readjust our sails immediately.
More frequently however, the external and internal changes in our lives are more gradual. We perceive that something is off. We are ‘not ourselves.’ We find ourselves growing increasingly tired, irritable, sad, or anxious. We start to wonder: ‘How did I get here? What can I do to get out of this downward spiral?’ We feel the need to take a break, stop, do something, anything. But we aren’t quite sure whether to pivot, much less how to proceed.
Fortunately for all of us, the Inner Whisper is there to help! The Whisper is the voice of wisdom that resides inside each of us, illuminating the right path, leading us to a decision appropriate to our circumstances. Its prod is usually soft, like a tender helping hand extended by a caring lover. Some call the Inner Whisper God, others Allah, Yahweh, or the divine presence. The Whisper has also been referred to as grace, our conscience, our intuition, our gut. ‘Trust your gut,’ friends often advise.
Regardless of what we call the Inner Whisper, it is a major gift given to us at birth by the On High, a reliable and loving travel guide for the duration of our spiritual journey on this earth.
DISCERNMENT
It is important that we awaken to the Inner Whisper, recognize it, attune ourselves to its voice, value it, and honor it with respect and attention. For while the Whisper is always with us, if we take it for granted, if we don’t pay attention to it, we can miss its quiet words of wisdom. We can allow the grace of the moment to pass us by. Even worse, we could succumb to a contrary voice, the voice of resistance, fear, hatred, egoism, laziness, complacency, or despair, luring us off our God-given path.
Therefore, it is important to develop a knack for listening, attending, and relating to the Inner Whisper on a regular basis, and not just at life’s low and high points, on our knees begging God for His help in a crisis or high-fiving God for an unforeseen blessing.
This process of consistently listening and responding to internal movements and prods is called discernment. Discernment helps us determine if the inner voice that nudges us to action is from God or from the voice of a contrary spirit that is leading us off course.
The key is to nourish the Inner Whisper by staying aware of our thoughts, emotions, and actions, not only in times of agony and ecstasy, but also in daily life as events move up and down with smaller amplitude. Should I join the new ministry at my church despite my felt need for badly needed rest? Should I quit my job because I never liked what I was doing at work? To which causes asking for my involvement should I invest my time and resources? In addressing such questions, consider how the competing options or decisions would impact your trust in God (faith), your optimism for the future (hope), and your love for and service to others (charity). Which path enlivens your heart and fills you with joyful energy? Which road leaves you hollow, restless, or with distaste? These considerations, made with an open heart in prayerful reflection, will lead you to the correct decision, will keep you on course toward becoming the person you were meant to be and the destination you were meant to reach.”
Excerpted from Traveling: A Spiritual Seeker’s Guide by Josefina J. Card
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