“Rather than do the hard work of listening, many prefer to hear the familiar voice of the ego. It speaks in certitudes and sees life in black and white. We would rather listen to the predictable voice of our false self that sounds indisputable and all-knowing but never leads us to abundant life. Too often we choose the clamor of familiar voices over the unpredictable whisper of the Spirit, whose voice sounds surprisingly new … Listening for the voice of the Spirit, for the inner voice, involves an act of holy obedience. The word obedient comes from the Latin word audire, which means “to listen.” Listening well goes beyond intellectual activity. Wholehearted listening requires bringing our whole self—body, mind, heart, and spirit—into the act of listening.”
—Karla Kincannon, from Creativity and Divine Surprise: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection (Upper Room Books, 2005)
