The Whisper of God: Learning to Listen and Obey
“Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord.” ~ Jn 21:12
In the quiet hours of our lives, amidst the routine and the mundane, there lies a whisper of something more, a gentle nudging towards obedience to God’s voice. That’s what I heard from Peter’s miraculous fishing trip described the Gospel of John 21:1-14.
Obedience: Trusting The Unseen
The scene: seasoned fishermen, weary from a night devoid of success, are greeted by an unfamiliar figure at dawn. This figure, standing a hundred yards away, calls out, advising them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. Despite their expertise and the exhaustion, they complied without hesitation. And just like that, abundance flowed where emptiness had reigned.
What strikes me most profoundly is not the miracle itself but the fishermen’s readiness to obey a stranger’s advice. Their obedience calmed and collected, as if rooted in a deeper knowing that the counsel came from a place of loving certainty.
The same thing happens when they all get to shore and the man invites them to breakfast. No one needs to ask who He was. They all instinctively and inequivocably knew the answer. They knew it was Jesus, and they simply sat down shared a meal with him.
Recognizing the Voice of God
- How often and in which situations do I obediently follow a stranger’s advice?
- How often do I listen to that inner voice urging me towards a path that seems illogical or filled with uncertainty?
Similarly to the apostles, I seem to have intrinsic knowledge telling me the source of certain guidance to be coming from a trustworthy source, even if our minds struggle to grasp its logic. Nevertheless, I find ways to ignore it or delay following it until it is the last resort.
I know where the voice is coming from but I struggle to obey.
Embracing Surrender
My challenge is surrendering my will for His. I know where the directions come, I know WHO is giving them but I continue to find ways to doubt the message and its success as if I’m refusing to let someone else be in control.
This story from John’s Gospel invites me to reconsider my relationship with obedience. It’s a challenge to trust in the unseen, to listen for the subtle whisper of God’s guidance, and to respond with a humbled heart open to go He leads.
When it comes to this topic, I have more questions than answers:
- Where are the places or the areas in life where I have heard the voice of Jesus telling me take a certain step, but I’ve found ways to ignore it, to doubt it, or to hide from it?
- How can I cultivate a deeper trust in God’s guidance?
- What do I need to be, do, have, or see to trust my intuition?
- Where do I need to be more obedient to God’s calling?
Taking it all in, I pray: Holy Spirit, grant me the courage to be obey what God calling, the faith to handle what I do not understand, and the humility to exchange my will for God’s will. Amen.
In peace,
~Juan
