Whispering Spot
Part 2 - The Whispering Spot
Article by Eric Allen
I’m reading through a wonderful book by Mark Batterson who is one of my favorite authors. The book as stated above is called Whisper – How to Hear the Voice of God. In a world overcome by noise both audible and written (social media) it has become increasingly harder to filter out enough of the voices to tune into the gentle whisper of God who is attempting to not just speak but to teach, guide, and simply be in relation with us. Yes, my friend, God, the creator of the universe wants to have a relationship with us. Humbling, isn’t it? Additionally, He is constantly speaking we just can’t hear Him above the noise.
In the book, Mark talks about the construction of the United States Capitol and some of the major events that took place in the many halls and rooms of this amazing building. Of the 540 rooms that span the four acres of the capitol building Mark says his favorite is Statuary Hall. It’s a two-story semicircular room in the Old Hall, where the House of Representatives first convened on November 17, 1800. Within that great hall there’s a secret place that’s not really a secret called the whispering spot. The circular walls and domed ceiling of Statuary Hall allow whispering waves to travel the circumference of the room in unusual ways. According to Mark, while on a tour the guide stood on one side of the hall while the group stood on the other side. Then he spoke in a whisper and sure enough they could mysteriously and miraculously hear the echo of his voice all the way across the room as if he were mere inches away. As sound travels it disperses so hypothetically our words should have half the energy at twice the distance. Whispering spots are a unique exception to this rule. Just as there are whispering spots in the physical realm, there are whispering spots in the spiritual realm. My hope for this article is to help you discover or rediscover your whispering spot – the place you go to hear God’s whisper, the place where His voice echoes loudest and longest, the place where He speaks to you clearly.
I would like to share the two places that fit that description for me. These are places where I feel God’s presence the most, places where I go to connect, to listen, and simply to be still. One of those places that I feel closeness to God is when I’m in nature. There is nothing more moving to me than being on a hike deep in the forest, summiting a mountain, or sitting quietly by a secluded lake. The noise has been reduced to next to nothing, there’s no traffic or busyness, and it’s just you, God, and maybe the group you’re hiking with. At the time of this writing I happened to have one of these experiences. We were doing some exploring around Crested Butte, Colorado along a drive called Kebler Pass. Our intent was to catch some fall colors which in this part of Colorado consists of the Aspen leaves turning a stunning golden color against the backdrop of beautiful green pines. Kebler pass did not disappoint. There were walls and walls of Aspens pretty much in full glory (I’ll do a fall slide show soon) and we couldn’t help but stop and take tons of photos. As we were driving, I noticed a spot looked to have a golden canopy above the white bark of a field of Aspens sprinkled with pines and spruces. We had to pull over. We walked into this beautiful stand of seasoned Aspens towering above, the skies were clear and blue, and the wind was blowing just hard enough to cause of few of the golden leaves to begin to fall. It was like it was snowing golden flakes. I stood there breathing in the crisp mountain air, it was so quiet, and it was as if God was standing right beside me. I was only there briefly but it was long enough to feel His presence. It was one of those moments you can’t properly describe, can’t capture in a photo, you just have to be there. I love those moments!
My second whispering spot is more practical but is one that I look forward to nearly every day. I’m an early riser (most days) and I like to get up early because I have a routine that includes exercise, writing or studying something, and most importantly my time alone with God. That time includes going through a reading plan from the Youversion Bible app with some friends, usually listening to a brief teaching, and journaling. My journal is SACRED to me. It includes my word or focus for the year with a scripture to support it (it’s right at the front so I can see it and be reminded of it every day), my goals (which also acts as a prayer list) which are broken down into multiple categories, my prayer list including the date I started praying for the particular need and the date God answers, my gratitude section, and where I record my entries every day. These are NOT your usual journal entries though. My entries are prayers that start my day and my conversation with God and continues on throughout my day. I use a five-year journal which allows me to see the previous year’s entries (I can’t tell you how special it is). Every day I’m reminded of God’s provision, I’m reminded of times of struggle, I’m reminded of times God inspired me through His word or a song, and I clearly see the pattern of God’s love and faithfulness in my life day after day, and year after year. This is more than a quiet time, so much more! It’s like I’m sitting in a room having a conversation with my Father. It’s so personal, so intimate, and it’s our time. It’s my whispering spot.
If you don’t have a place you go where the reception is just a little clearer, I highly encourage you to find one. It doesn’t have to be any place special, it may be in your car on your drive to work, on your front porch sitting quietly and just listening, or at the gym with your headphones in worshipping as you work out. The important thing is that you’re intentionally carving out time of your busy day to give God your full attention. At first, it may be hard to tune out the noise and distractions, but after a while this time and this spot becomes yours. Your whispering spot. He’ll be waiting for you there.
In my next article we’ll be diving into some of the different ways God speaks to us. I can’t wait to share with you. Until then my friends!