How God speaks
A quotation from C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis once wrote, "God whispers to us in our pleasures. He speaks to us in our conscience. And he shouts to us in our pain."
This powerful statement reminds us that God is constantly communicating with us, even when we may not recognize His voice and life seems distant from God.
Life is filled with moments of joy, moments of decision, and moments of deep suffering. Each carries a unique way for us to hear and respond to God. The challenge is to listen.
God Whispers in Our Pleasures
God's presence is often subtle in times of joy, success, and contentment. It's easy to overlook Him when life is going well though. God is very patient with us, even when we aren’t listening to Him.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said we tend only to have a "parachute prayer life." What did Sheen mean by this?
Sheen meant that we sometimes only pray and talk to God when we feel like we are free falling in life, and everything is out of control. It's very easy for us to ignore God and not pray when life seems to be going very well.
Again, this is C.S. Lewis's point – God whispers to us in our pleasures. This means we must quietly reflect and hear this whisper amid life's success, joys, peace, and comfort. Amid the noises of our culture (phones, television, computers, other people, etc.), we must pause and listen for the whisper of God.
Reflection Questions:
When was the last time I felt deep joy?
Did I recognize God's presence in that moment?
Do I express gratitude to God for the blessings in my life, especially when things are going exceptionally well?
How can I be more intentional about recognizing God's whispers in the beauty of everyday life—through relationships, nature, or simple joys?
God Speaks in Our Conscience
Our conscience is a sacred space where we hear God's voice most clearly. He speaks through conviction, guiding us toward what is right and calling us to live in truth.
Listening to God speak within our conscience demands patience, silence, and serious discernment. I immediately think of the road sign that says, "Stop. Look. Listen." Many of us don't do any of these three commands. We don't stop and allow the Lord to speak from deep within. We don't stop and look around, observing experiences, relationships, and opportunities. We don't stop and listen to what's happening within and around us.
The sinner always tends to plow through the intersections of life without stopping, looking, and listening. “Full steam ahead” is the motto of the sinner.
Reflection Questions:
Have I ignored any nudges from my conscience recently?
What was I avoiding?
When faced with a difficult decision, do I pause and seek God's direction or act impulsively?
Is there an area of my life where I need to be more honest with myself and with God?
God Shouts in Our Pain
Pain can break through our distractions and make us pay attention. Suffering often brings us to a place where we are desperate for God's voice. In those moments, God is not silent. He is shouting, calling us to Himself.
Injuries, illnesses, heartbreaks, tragedies, conflicts, and pains are moments of intense difficulty. C.S. Lewis's quote, "[God] shouts to us in our pain," heightens the intensity of God's communication with us.
For pleasures, God whispers to us. In our conscience, God speaks to us. But, in our pains, God shouts to us. This is not the shouting like being yelled at or scolded. It's the raising of one's voice to gain attention.
Think of an excellent teacher who never raises her voice. She teaches profound content with a remarkable ability to communicate information in a way each student can process. But, and it's very seldom, this noteworthy teacher will raise her voice toward a particular student. Because this rarely occurs, it catches the attention of everyone in the room – including the student who needs to hear her voice the most.
This is precisely what C.S. Lewis refers to when he says, "[God] shouts to us in our pain." It's to catch our attention and get us to refocus. God can redirect souls to proper alignment with Him in this remarkable yet challenging way. God permits evil to bring about a greater good.
A sickness, an illness, a broken bone, a breakup, a severe loss, etc., can all be moments when God shouts to us in our pain. In these moments, we often need that louder voice to catch our attention and redirect us in life.
Reflection Questions:
How has pain shaped my relationship with God?
Have I drawn closer to Him or pulled away?
What is God trying to teach me in this suffering?
Even in my pain, can I trust that God is still all-good and that He is with me?
C.S. Lewis once said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures. He speaks to us in our conscience. And he shouts to us in our pain."
Fr. Ben Daghir
Thank you, Fathers <3
I really enjoyed reading your post. Thanks, a great way to start Monday. Have a great week.