Are you "too busy" to listen to God?

This is a silly question, of course. When we listen to God, He makes things less busy: every action counts much more. Matters flow together more readily. Not always as we would like them. But in the long term, they fall into place.

It's when we engineer everything on our own that they eventually fall apart. We become unnerved, unsteady, off balance, swayed by worldly events and trials, large and small. Balance is a key.

We're too busy and become unbalanced because we don't listen to Him.

Now that doesn't mean a locution, though the Lord certainly can speak that way. Mainly, He answers through people, "random" events, and circumstances. You may be wondering if you should fast on a certain day or rather take the opportunity to go with your spouse to a restaurant, and "hear" a voice saying, "Go out and have a good time together" -- exactly what you wanted to hear -- but then step onto a scale even though it's the middle of the afternoon and know that the dinner will set your diet back for a few days. God spoke to you through the scale. He nudged you to step on it. When we hear things too directly -- dramatically -- it can be the subconscious or a deceptive spirit.

But listen we must, in the calmness of prayerful, eucharistic meditation. We nurture calmness by avoiding feelings of: impatience and irritation (not to mention anger, which shuts off real communication). This keeps us on an even keel in this world of tossed seas.

"I am training you in steadiness," says one thought in prayer. "Too many things interrupt your awareness of Me. I know that you live in a world of sight and sound, but you must not be a slave to those stimuli. Awareness of Me can continue in all circumstances, no matter what happens. This is the steadiness I desire for you.

"Don't let unexpected events throw you off course. Rather, respond calmly and confidently, remembering that I am with you. As soon as something grabs your attention, talk with Me about it. Thus I share your joys and your problems; I help you cope with whatever is before you. This is how I live in and work through you. This is the way of Peace."

[resources: Uniformity with God's Will and Pressing On in the Spirit]