Blog #193--Talking With God

People all over the world talk to a higher power. Members of all religions pray frequently if not daily. Talking to God is considered a good thing. But if we dare claim that God talks with us, we are ridiculed and called liars.

This point hit home with me recently as I was channel-surfing. I came across the clever movie “Evan Almighty.” God wanted a newly elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives to build an ark to protect animal species from an upcoming flood. This modern day Noah didn’t want to do it, but he kept receiving building materials, his hair and beard grew long overnight, and animals began following him.

He finally agreed to do it, but not before he had to admit publicly that God told him to build an ark. He was instantly branded a nut job. “You talked to God?” His own wife hoped he could avoid admitting his conversations with God. After all, most people think they have never spoken with God, so according to their logic, no one else is able to do it either.

If people in the 21st century don’t believe we can talk with God, how about during more ancient times? Did those who knew Jesus assume he was telling the truth when he claimed communication with God? Maybe some did eventually, if he actually performed the miracles ascribed to him. But my guess is most people thought he was a little crazy when he first started his ministry. What about Moses, Buddha, Krishna and the other masters who brought enlightenment to a dark world? Didn’t they face a great deal of criticism for the same reason? After all, people will be people.

For that matter, did those who first wrote down the so-called words of God onto clay tablets, parchment or scrolls really take dictation from God? Perhaps they did, but we have no way of proving that now. The general public has always been extremely gullible to a good story, the more fallacious the better. But at first there were likely as many different stories as there were people who believed them. Denying an ability to talk with God seems to be an instinct with us. Maybe it’s just jealousy, but it has been common behavior throughout time.

There is also a problem understanding God. We each have our own definitions and interpretations of words, based on our unique perspectives and experiences. How can we be sure what we are hearing? For instance, applying simple logic, we are told God made man in “his” own image. If God made man in his own image, and he is male, then we would all be males. So obviously God is not a male human. We may know no better way of describing a creator than to say “him” or “her,” but those words cannot represent truth.

Does God speak with us? How do we know when that happens? Are we struck down and blinded on the road to Damascus? Or do we receive more subtle indicators of communication? Does God answer our prayers? Since everything in the universe is connected, and since that makes communication with one another guaranteed, then there is no reason to assume God doesn’t speak with everyone and everything. But how is that accomplished?

Unless God tells us directly it is he/she/it/all-that-is, we have no way of knowing for sure when God speaks with us. Since most religions agree God existed before words were created, there would be no name accompanying the message. If there was a name, it might be a less trustworthy alternate voice.

Perhaps the best way of knowing whether we receive an answer to a prayer is to pay attention to what we hear in our minds. If the answer is consistent with our prayer, then perhaps that is the mysterious omnipotent one responding. Let me site a simple type of communication. I am playing hearts one day, and I am uncertain which cards to pass and which to keep. I think, in the form of a question, “Will I be passed the queen of spades?” I then hear a quiet voice saying “yes.” When the hand proceeds as anticipated, does that confirm I spoke with God?

I know the example seems insignificant. I also know most people assume God is too busy to respond to trivial questions. But something gave me the correct answer. Maybe that was simply my own higher self responding to my needs. But our higher selves are really our spirits, and our spirits are really one with God and everything in the universe. So can we prove for certain we did not talk with God in these circumstances?

As another example, in my book “It’s a Secret, So Pass It On: a Toolbox For Life” I mentioned a dream I had while I was going through hard times. I had been deeply concerned I would not produce enough income to pay my expenses. I’m sure I thought about it in terms of a prayer at least once or twice. One night I had a dream where an old man in a white beard looked through a massive book. He said I would have financial improvement in the near future. That eventually came true before I became completely destitute, although it took another four years. Was the old man my ego’s interpretation of God, and did God answer my prayer in the dream?

There’s a tricky aspect to notions of communicating with God. Let’s say we’re in business and we are concerned about a lack of customers. We pray to God to increase customer levels so we can make a living. When that happens as desired, did God answer our prayer? Or, did we sense the future would work out in a positive way and then pray for it to happen? That would give the appearance of God answering our prayer, but it might be really more part of a divine plan assigned to us at conception.

Or, taking a contrary position, if it doesn’t happen the way we want, are we going to blame God for not answering our prayer? Or did we merely sense a negative future, reverse it because we didn’t want the future to work out that way, and then create a prayer that appeared to fail? I know I frequently find my logical left brain hemisphere reversing messages passed through my right, intuitive and psychic brain hemisphere. That is especially true when I don’t like the future I’m given. I am confident this same process occurs in everyone.

In conclusion, one of two possible explanations is at work here. Either one, no one talks with God, the unseen and unknowable, and prayer is worthless except for the comfort it provides us in countering our fears. Or, we are all on a party line with our creator, and responses are guaranteed. In my mind, it must be the latter, and we get answers daily. Of course, then we need to interpret them correctly, no easy task since we have biases and personal desires.

Even if we can somehow confirm we are capable of talking with God, few if any of our peers will believe us. Count on it.

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