Knowing more about the sheep is learning more about yourself. Jesus already calls us that, and that is how we have to recognize ourselves from the beginning.
"And the sheep follow him because they know his voice." Jn 10, 3
A person going through difficult times is rarely silent; on the contrary, they will have voices and noises in their head and around them. One of those voices is God's.
Reading so far, you have not found anything different or anything new, and you may be wondering how to differentiate the voice of God? ...
First of all, let us remember Paul who urges us to something in his letter to the Romans;
And do not adapt to this world, but transform yourself by renewing your mind, so that you verify what the will of God is: what is good and pleasant and perfect. Rom 12: 2
On the path of spiritual growth, I discovered that God always speaks. But our ears might be closed. Either because we do not want to hear God, or because we disagree with him, or just because of fear of what God has to say to us. Therefore we must renew our mind and heart.
Let's go back to the beginning of this writing, the sheep. First, in the storm, recognize yourself as a sheep, that sheep that is weak, that cannot walk alone, the sheep needs a place to know where to go, but the important thing is; you need your Shepherd, and from your Pastor, you need his voice.
By thinning the line of analysis, the sheep needs the voice.
In other words, the voice is not always translated into words.
Now, the tips are:
1. Recognize yourself as a sheep (weak, in need of a community and of a shepherd, and of his Shepherd his voice)
2. Only one voice is important, and that voice may or may not be words.
3. Remember that hearing is more important than speaking or saying.
If in the previous blog I told you about the importance of taking care of faith, in this one, I suggest that for that faith to grow, you listen to the voice of the Pastor.
Let's go back to the book of Job;
"God speaks in many ways even though we may not realize it." Job 33-14
I must tell you that you are not alone in your difficult moment (nor in your moment of happiness). God speaks to you mainly and firstly in his word (read the Gospel every day), listen to music that leads you to God, speak with your community, let the Lord cover you with his nature.
If you want lemonade, use lemons. If you want to be with God and with Jesus, look for him in the Bible or in the people you think are close to him, in the Eucharist and Holy Mass. We search and cannot find many times because we are looking in the world, and God is in man's heart.
Despite what the current culture wants to teach us, we are in this land of passage, and for the believer, the main goal is to reach the arms of the Father. What is the way? Follow the voice of the Good Shepherd, and that voice will become the words of eternal life.
If you let hopelessness enter your life, ask your community to pray for you and your faith. God speaks in various ways, don't close your ears to him.
I leave you the question, how does God speak in your life? Are you attentive or attentive to the voice (which can be words or gestures of love) of your Good Shephard? How does that voice feel?
Personally, he spoke to me through my brothers in Christ from the Mov. Peregrino (Youth Group - MP). When dad started to get worse, one Friday night, we got together to pray for him. Even though I prayed for my Father's cure, my heart prayed for his conversion, and that conversion happened between my dad and God.
Also, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, who serves in the Virgen de Fátima Parish of Asunción, Soldiers of the Holy Spirit, went to give us a beautiful moment of prayer as a family they pray and imposed hands on us, and the Lord abounded with his grace.
God spoke so many ways that the Heralds of the Gospel took the statue of Our Lady of Fatima one day home. The Lord seems to have given us his extra affection because the heralds could only take the Virgin on August 4th. Their schedule was full. God knew that day (the only day available) was Dad's birthday.
The relic of Saint Pio visited my home during his illness, and God, in his voice, in his language, was faithful to me.
"Teaching you to keep all that I have commanded you, and remember (behold)! I am with you every day, until the end of the world." Mt 28,20
All of these people, so to those who are not mentioned in this writing, offered words of light. They helped in one way or another (impossible to mention and beautiful to remember). They have fulfilled in me that promise that God always speaks in different ways, and the sheep, his sheep, know his voice because the Shepherd gives His life for them.
Let God speaks to you in his own way, which is good, pleasant, and perfect! But most importantly, brother or sister, you can be the voice of God for those who need it.
God bless you!
P.D: If you felt something in your heart, indeed the Lord speaks to you in his own way.
