Listening to the Inner Voice ...
As we continue to share, there is a strong focus on leadership here at St. Francis.
Ultimately, we are turning learners into leaders for the next generation. In that exploration of leadership we help our students understand the good in investing time to listen to others. They do this so that they can understand and learn from others.
We also teach our students that there is another voice they should listen to from time to time. Some refer to this as the “inner voice” — that unspoken voice that can ring in our ears from time to time.
While this may be true, we must be sure to define this “inner voice” correctly. Especially today, when there is such a focus pleasing “I, me and my” – “Just Do It” or “Have it Your Way”. Thankfully, we do not have to look far to find a clear and conclusive definition.
Addressing this very issue Saint Paul writes, “… the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.” Romans 2:12
What scripture tells us is both profound and simple. First, in the creation of man God has written His law on our hearts, or, in less poetic terms – God has placed in us a natural ability to sense that something we are thinking or doing is right or wrong.
Second, this sense of right versus wrong is communicated from our “heart” or spirit to “conscience” or mind, which then “bears witness” or declares to us the right or wrong. This internal declaration is a form of “communication” between our spirit and mind. This is the “inner voice” we should listen to when we hear it calling; and we should listen — not because we are instinctively good people – but because the measure for right and wrong is the law of God.
A good leader understands that the conscience was created by God to assist mankind in being sensitive to God’s laws and it is for this reason that a good leader listens to the “inner voice”.
Well, day 5 and I am still manadagading the 10 minadutes of silence and a poreid of prayer every mornading! A very good friend of mine and a true role model for me as to how I should be in my faith, shared with me this “outadline for prayer (ACTS):A Adoadraadtion: Ask the Holy Spirit to help. As Christ foladlowaders, we have inside us the Holy Spirit. We ask for help in praisading and woradshipading God as our Lord and Savior.C Conadfesadsion: We ask God for foradgiveadness for in the ways we have been immoral, unethadiadcal, unfaithadful, unforadgivading, impaadtient, selfadish, enviadous, deceitadfula0etc.T Thankadful: We thank God for givading us His only son to die for us on the cross so that our sins can be foradgiven. I take this time to thank God for all the big and litadtle things that He has done and WILL do fora0me.S Supadpliadcaadtion: Ask God to supadply you with your needs. Here is where I have a “conadveradsaadtion” with God telling Him the things I “think” I need and the prayers for those that are sufadferading or in need of prayer.Quiet Time Now I spend my ten minadutes in quiet…listening for what God is telling me. I do not usuadally “hear” anyadthing but I keep prayading and askading that I get betadter at this listening.