Returning to Sacred Presence

One of the questions that has followed me through much of my life is surprisingly simple: Can I trust my own inner voice?

I suspect I am not alone. Many of us were taught to look outside ourselves for answers.

·      Teachers.

·      Pastors.

·      Books.

·      Experts.

·      Traditions.

None of those things are bad. Many have been gifts in my life. But somewhere along the way, I began to notice something. I often trusted everyone else's wisdom more than my own experience.

I could recognize insight in other people. I could see wisdom in their stories. I could encourage them to listen to what was stirring in their hearts. Yet when it came to my own life, I hesitated. I doubted. I second-guessed. I wondered if I was simply making things up.

Perhaps part of the reason is that we are surrounded by so many voices.

·      Expectations.

·      Opinions.

·      Criticism.

·      Fear.

·      Noise.

The louder those voices become, the harder it is to hear what is happening beneath them. Yet Jesus says something remarkable: "The kingdom of God is within you." Not somewhere far away. Not hidden behind a curtain. Not reserved for a spiritual elite. Within.

I don't think Jesus meant that we are our own gods. I think he was pointing toward something deeper. The presence of God is nearer than we imagine. Closer than our next breath. Already dwelling within us. And perhaps part of the spiritual journey is learning to recognize that presence.

Not every thought is sacred wisdom. Not every impulse is divine guidance. But there is often a deeper current beneath all the noise. A quiet knowing. A gentle nudge. A persistent truth that keeps returning.

The older I get, the more I believe that God's voice is rarely the loudest voice. It is usually the most patient one. It waits. It invites. It nudges. It speaks with compassion rather than fear.

And perhaps learning to trust that voice is one of the ways we return to sacred presence. Not because God has been absent. Because we have finally become quiet enough to notice.