There’s a really common place people get stuck when they start practicing stillness. I want to name it because if you hit it, I don’t want you to conclude it means this isn’t working. Here’s how it goes. You get quiet, you sit with God, you wait, and nothing seems to happen.

No insight, no peace, no sense of presence, just quiet. And then your brain starts doing something very unhelpful, which is if nothing is happening, it must be because I’m not doing it right. And that’s not what’s happening. Let me offer a different frame.

Think about the best listener you’ve ever known. Someone who made you feel genuinely heard, like they were tracking with every word, picking up what was underneath the words, not just waiting for their turn to talk. They weren’t born that way. That’s a skill.

It took practice and probably some humbling experiences when they realized they weren’t as good at it as they thought. And more practice after that, and then more. Listening to God works the same way. It’s a practice.

It’s not a gift that you’re born with. you have it or you don’t, something you can get better at over time the more you show up for it. As you sit in the quiet, spontaneous thoughts are going to come to your mind. It is key to learn to recognize the origination of those thoughts. If they are rational and logical, well, they’re probably your own thoughts.

If they’re negative, destructive, critical, accusatory, well, they’re coming from the voice of Satan because he is the great accuser through his cronies, which are fallen angels all day long. If they’re words of love and hope and peace, well, those are coming from our heavenly father. Sometimes they’re so good and so sweet, it’s even hard to embrace the voice of God. There is a powerful scripture in the Bible that says, “Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” It’s in 2 Corinthians chapter 10, I think.

So, we take a thought and we see, does it align with the character of Jesus and the truths that he taught? Taking that verse seriously can change the trajectory of our life. I promise. Rejecting all the thoughts that are negative like fear, worry, shame, condemnation, failure, accusation, on and on and on. can give you a life lift so easily.

But we must believe it. I’m going to introduce you now to a great practice. This first practice we’re going to talk about is called Lectio Divina. It is a simple journaling practice.

It has four steps. They’re done very slowly with scripture as the starting point. Lectio Divina is about divine reading. The idea is to move from reading to listening instead of reading a passage and just moving on, which is what we usually do.

You’re going to sit with it. You ask what it might be saying specifically to you right here, right now. You write down what comes without editing it and without evaluating it. I want to say that again.

You write down what comes without editing it or evaluating it. You’re not trying to produce something. and you’re just paying attention. There’s a companion video that will walk you through the four steps. So, I’ll let that be the guide.

The video isn’t the practice. The practice is the practice. You may not hear anything dramatic the first time or the second or even the 10th. That’s not a sign you’re doing it wrong.

The point is not the quality of what comes. It’s showing up and learning to notice. God speaks in nudges and impressions and a sense of I wonder if more often than in clear audible sentences. Learning to listen is partly learning to take those quietly seriously.

When something comes up during a practice, a word, a feeling, a memory, a question, write it down. Don’t interpret it yet. Don’t evaluate it. Just write it down.

Just sit with it. That’s the practice. showing up, writing it down, coming back. You’re building something here, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Okay, grab your journal and something to write on. Journals can be any kind. You can have a journal like this. You can have a journal that’s a stenopad.

It doesn’t matter. Grab a journal and something to write with. We’re going to do this together. This is called Lectio Divina, which means divine reading.

We’re going to listen to scripture. That’s the original mode of receiving the scripture. It was a long time before printing presses came into being, but they listened and they listened in community. And that’s what we’re about to do.

It’s kind of finding your story in the larger story in his story in history. I’m going to read a passage of scripture slowly, four times in four different versions or translations. And after each reading, I’ll prompt you. I want to pray for us as we begin.

Holy Spirit, thank you. Thank you for being present with us. Thank you for being the force behind it all. We love you so much.

You know what we need. And so as we open up this scripture, we ask you to reveal it to our hearts and our minds. We thank you. Amen.

All right, here we go. Step one, the very first one is we’re just going to read. So I’m going to read out of Matthew 11 verse 28 through 30. So just read.

I’m going to read and you’re just going to listen. Okay? Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.

Can I just ponder that right now? Okay, we’re going to read it again. We’re going to reflect. This time I’m going to read out of the message translation again out of Matthew 11, verses 28 through 30.

Are you tired? Are you worn out? Are you burned out on religion? Come to me.

Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me. Work with me.

Watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

So just note what was highlighted to you. Doesn’t have to sound important. It’s just what caught your attention. And just write that down.

What caught your attention? Okay. Now, we’re going to read the third time, and this is about responding. I’m going to read it.

I want you to listen for what God may be saying to your heart. I’ll be reading from the King James version. And where might this be intersecting in your life? You’ve heard it now.

This will be the third time. Something may be kind of highlighted. So just think about where this might be intersecting in your life. Matthew 11:28-30.

Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and I’m lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. So just write. Don’t edit.

It feels strange. That’s okay. You’re not producing a devotional. You’re just paying attention to what’s jumping out in the word in your life.

Okay, this is the last time I’m going to read Matthew 11, verses 28 through 30. This time from the NLT, which is the New Living Translation. And this is God’s love loving word to you right here, right now. Just see what he’s saying to you. and you’re just going to respond.

You don’t really have to do anything. Oh, here we go. It’s fun when God starts talking to your heart, isn’t it? Then Jesus said, “Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and I’m gentle at heart.” and you will find rest for your souls. So now respond. It may just be a thank you.

It may be one word. It may be a simple prayer. Maybe it’s a question. Whatever is most real and honest about you right now, just record. That’s it.

That is the practice of Lectio Divina. It can become a way for you to connect with God, not just reading for information and keeping on reading. Countless others have learned that through the generations. You can sit as long or as short as you want.

It’s not really important. What’s important is your attention. They even have apps that will read it to you. When I first learned this, I loved it so much I recorded myself reading it so I could go back and listen to it and do the exercise myself.

They’re just four steps. Just read, reflect, respond, rest. Try this this week, maybe more than once. It’ll be a good good practice.

You’ll be glad you did. Thanks.