Mark Batterson’s book, Whisper, gives practical advice on how to hear the voice of God. He illustrates the importance  and necessity of hearing from God. We often invest time treating the symptoms while we’re ignoring the cause. Batterson asserts the cause of many of our problems is not hearing from God.

Batterson emphasizes the strategic importance of prayer but he reveals that prayer is not simply a dialogue, but a monologue. “Prayer is the difference between the best we can do and the best God can do. But there is something even more important and powerful than talking to God.  What is it? Listening to God” (p. 18).

Batterson emphasizes throughout the book that our relational, emotional, and spiritual problems are ultimately hearing problems. He contends that we’ve been deafened by the voices of conformity, criticism, condemnation, and we suffer from the resultant side effects of loneliness, shame, and anxiety.

Batterson proposes seven love languages that God uses to speak to us today:

Scripture
Desires
Doors
Dreams
People
Promptings
Pain

These love languages teach us how to listen for the whisper of God’s voice in our lives. When we learn how God speaks to us and learn how to discern His voice, then we can respond with an assurance of knowing and doing His will.

This book is a helpful tool for anyone wanting to deepen their relationship with God. (I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review).

Associate Pastor – Discipleship. The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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