The Joy of Listening to God: Hearing the Many Ways God Speaks to Us

by Joyce Huggett

For many, prayer is a time to pour out our concerns to God. But are we so busy talking that we fail to listen to all the riches he has for us? Joyce Huggett was an ordinary Christian who told God her problems and desires. But then there was a change. Slowly she began to discover that God revealed himself to her when she was quiet before him. A whole new dimension of prayer opened up as she explored channels of hearing God that she had never known before. And in this book she shares her spiritual pilgrimage with us. Always practical, always biblical, Joyce Huggett shows us how we can quiet ourselves and prepare to hear God speak in his multicolored ways. Here is a book for those who want to be introduced to a fresh way of invigorating their walk with God.

Genres: Prayer, Christian, Christianity, Faith, Spirituality, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 1987

Reviews

[Rebecca Romaneski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an EXCELLENT book on prayer, solitude, and hearing God. The author is very wise and she provides many practical ideas and suggestions to help the reader develop his/her prayer and deovtional time. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to grow spiritually.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful and practical guide for drawing closer to God. I appreciated how the author shared her experiences, the good and bad, and offered not only her opinions but also those of many other pray-ers who have gone before. Definitely a book to be chewed on and not just skimmed through.

[Katrin V · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up because of Dallas Willard's reference to it in his Hearing God. It is a gem and a good practical complement to Willard's work. Huggett was an Anglican pastor's wife in the serious, studious Biblical tradition and she shares her journey to developing a more personal, relational connection to God. She is brutally honest with her own weaknesses and mistakes and gloriously sensible, lampooning the foolish woman who did not get dressed until God 'told her' to put on each piece of clothing. Huggett was very clear that we all make mistakes but shared 6 ways to test what we "hear": 1. Does what I hear line up with scripture? 2. Do the circumstances substantiate what I heard? 3. Is my attitude in believing I've heard this humble (Christ-like) or rebellious (like Satan)? 4. Is this still small voice prompting me or others to honor God and obey Him? 4. Submit to others what I hear. What do they sense? 5. Do not neglect my intellect (like the lady who didn't put on her stockings until she 'heard' the Lord tell her to). So many nuggets in here, I need to go through the book again. Definitely not a book to wolf.

[Yazmin Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was God's answers to my many questions about hearing Him and articulating His voice... It provides great, practical and very useful advice in getting closer to Him, as well as bring the basic truth back in: the Bible is the first and foremost and most important way to hear Him. I love how this author just oozes wisdom and, with no hesitation, recounts her many experiences (both failures, successes, and struggles) in utter honesty. She allows the reader to (hopefully) learn and gain insight and wisdom from her mishaps. I absolutely love this book and it has helped me become wiser in my relationship with Christ. So good! :)

[Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its authentic pursuit of intimacy with God. Huggett encapsulated spiritual insights into a biographical format, whereby, she walks the reader through various lessons she had learned over the years. There is a blend of multiple Church traditions, authors, fields of knowledge and spiritual disciplines.

Huggett divulged many of her personal struggles throughout the book without allowing those details to detract from an emphasis on how God meets us. Consequently, the work feels highly accessible even though you are treading into some deep matters of Christian spirituality.

Among the many pearls I found is the concluding chapter ("Pray as You Can"). Here the writer does an excellent overview of how a disciple's self-awareness in matters of theology, personality traits and past experiences can enhance deeper fellowship with God. It was a fitting conclusion to a work that places spiritual formation in human skin thus proving the connection between mystery and practical discipleship.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to the art of contemplative prayer. Huggett shares her joys and struggles with listening in vulnerability. I gained a greater understanding of the critical role listening must take in our conversations with God and as a result I have decided to commit to a short daily listening practice.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely transformed my approach and experience of prayer. This is in my top 5 all-time favorite list. Very practical and easy to read with lots of examples.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very personal connection w/ this book. Learned about being quiet and thoughtful, seeking God in the quiet spaces.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystical in a down to earth way.

[JennanneJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly my favorite book on contemplative prayer. I appreciated the Bible-focused look at what can be a very spiritual practice. Coming from a background that strongly focused on Bible study and knowledge, I liked how Joyce emphasized the need for listening prayer to align with Scripture. Quite a lot of books I've read on contemplative prayer seem a bit "loosey-goosey" to me - no Bible needed, just listen to whatever you hear. This felt more balanced.

Also, I found it to be incredibly practical. Joyce described her journey learning new ways to pray and showed what worked and didn't work for her. I plan to revisit this book again soon. It will be a valuable resource.

(Bought because it was referenced in Renovaré's Spiritual Classics: Selected Readings on the Twelve Spiritual Disciplines.)

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on contemplative prayer I think I’ve ever read! The author really encouraged and challenged me in different aspects of the how, why, and delight of listening to God.

[Rod Zinkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joyce Huggett’s book is, as she calls it, a prayer pilgrimage, a sort of prayer memoir. She gives a personal account of how she learned to listen to God, to listen for the “still, small voice,” and obey. It starts in a monastery, where she and her husband have a retreat, where she experiences “that first sip of real stillness.” It advances to a ‘prayer closet,’ a special place in the home to focus on God. She takes to heart Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” She learns that God initiates communication with people throughout the Bible and continues to in the present. She finds that listening to God did not always result in some directive, but that, wherever she was, “God would communicate his presence to me in some felt way.” She affirms the statement of Catherine of Siena, “Every time and every place is a time and place for prayer.”
So we see growth in her journey. I recommend the book for those who want a personal account of such a journey, to make a new pilgrimage or to recall your own. It is a book about experience, so that is not to say everyone will experience the same. But it can motivate us to seek experience of God.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that I want to read again. Joyce Huggett brings up some really helpful practices for tuning into the still, small voice of God- the possible pitfalls that listening can bring- and how we can pursue this in wisdom and remain grounded in God's Word. I thoroughly enjoyed her testimony of how God has taught her to listen. Highly recommend.