Three Sentence Summary
In Hearing God, philosopher Dallas Willard teaches that discerning God’s voice is a fruit not born out of discipline, will-power or proven methods, but out of an intimate conversational relationship with God. Hearing God is meant to come from a heart of worship, adoration and great delight in Him and who He is. This book provides several examples and interactive portions to help the reader practice how to settle into a conversational relationship with God.
Overall Impression
Hearing God has some of the strongest heart-striking statements I’ve read in awhile. He calls out several misconceptions and false beliefs I subconsciously hold. For instance, I tend to see God as a “task master” or seek to hear from God because of my desire to feel safe in my own righteousness. His thoughts are refreshing and formative to how I want to approach hearing from God on a daily basis.
Favorite Quotes
Our failure to hear God has its deepest roots in a failure to understand, accept, and grow into a conversational relationship with God.
Willard (p. 35)
[The spiritual hypochondriac] is far more concerned with being righteous than with loving God and others, and doing and enjoying what is good.
Willard (p. 267)
I fear that many people seek to hear God solely as a device for obtaining their own safety, comfort and sense of being righteous.
Willard (p. 33)
Our reverence for and faith in the Bible must not be allowed to blind us to the need for personal divine instruction within the principles of the Bible yet beyond the details of what it explicitly says.
Willard (p. 79)
Top Takeaways
- Be willing and ready to be made able to deepen a conversational relationship with God.
- Recognize and repent when you seek to hear from God out of over concern for self-righteousness.
Disclaimer
Please note: If you liked this review or my linked summary, I encourage you to purchase the book. This review is meant to be a supplement to the book and certainly not a substitute.
