Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God (The IVP Signature Collection)

by Dallas Willard

The advice of St. Francis de Sales to his student Philothea gives a proper practical balance between the individual and social dimensions of our life in Christ. Describing as “inspirations” all of “those interior attractions, motions, reproaches and remorses, lights and conceptions which God excites in us,” he directs her as follows: Resolve, then, Philothea, to accept with a ready heart all the inspirations it shall please God to send to you. When they come, receive them as ambassadors sent by the King of Heaven, who desires to enter into a marriage contract with you. Attend calmly to His proposals, think of the love with which you are inspired, and cherish the holy inspiration. Consent to the holy inspiration with an entire, a loving and a permanent consent.18 Then St. Francis wisely directs his friend back into the fellowship of the church, saying, “but before you consent to inspiration in things which are of great importance, or that are out of the ordinary way, always consult your advisor.”