Screams and whispers

     A lot of people, when they consider communication from God, picture Cecil B. DeMille's movie depiction of that experience for Moses in "The Ten Commandments"- bright light and booming voice. However, the word of God (scriptures) tells us otherwise. 1 Kings 19:11-12 relates Elijah's experience- "the Lord was not in the wind...the Lord was not in the earthquake....the Lord was not in the fire....after the fire a still small voice". Hannah was so earnest in desiring a son that she gave Samuel to the Lord when He answered her prayers by giving her a child. As a child, Samuel had to learn how to understand the Lord speaking to him. In 1 Samuel, "Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord", so when the Lord spoke to him, he didn't realize who was communicating with him. God does not leave us without instructions on how to communicate with Him. There are countless instructions from prophets on how to pray and how to listen. In Ether 3 there is a unique experience for the brother of Jared-
     "The Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil (this was not an actual physical cloth draped over his eyes but a symbol of mortal man's inability to see though he has eyes and hear though he has ears) was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh.....(the Lord then asks)  Sawest thou more than this? And he answered: Nay; Lord show thyself unto me. And the Lord said unto him; Believest thou the words which I shall speak?"
     Isn't it interesting that before showing Himself to the brother of Jared, He asks him whether he would believe what He said? In Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Where do we get the word of God therefore faith? Through the words of prophets by reading scriptures and attending church meetings. In Doctrine and Covenants 63:9-10 "But, behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe. Yea, signs come by faith not by the will of men, nor as they please, but by the will of God." God doesn't have to prove His existence, power, or anything else according to the selfish whims of His children. We first have to choose to WANT to listen to Him by showing our willingness to heed Him.
     Lest this seem too vague and "religious" I want to connect it with what I have learned about our physical brain. Every person has to construct neurological paths for themselves. We can only offer to others ideas to ponder and provide experience. We have each been given this freedom to choose by our Father who created us in His image. As our brain grows, certain pathways are favored, learning or the constant use of one neuron causes growth in the number or size of neurotransmitting tissue. This is called potentiation. Early response to learning is slow because it requires the physical formation of new tissue. Favored (more used) pathways expedite the movement of signals. The more you know, the more quickly and easily you can know more. So when the Lord says (D&C 50:24) "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light and that light groweth brighter and brighter."- then also promises that from he who rejects the light will be taken even that which he already has, it's not just a punishment from God. It's a natural consequence of OUR OWN CHOICE! I have noticed that even in my computer, if I decide to open a file that I haven't opened in a long time, it takes more time than when I click on something I use frequently.
     So, we need to understand that hearing God's voice is going to require effort. When you have a baby in the house or are on security duty, you can't hear what you need to hear if you are being blasted by loud noises and are focused on distractions. Our brains will have a more difficult time detecting the subtle messages from the Spirit if we are inundated with the din of the world. That includes loud music, flashy visual images, sensual feelings and even obsessions with taste. If we have attention-demanding substances screaming through our bodies and impacting our brains, we cannot focus on hearing the still, small voice. That would include alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, drugs including some prescription drugs, and more. I would not advocate avoiding nerve-numbing medications when there is real pain or brain-chemistry altering prescriptions when there is an imbalance. I would only recommend that we not self-prescribe the world's solutions to feeling tired, needing comfort, feeling sad, or feeling anxious. We can experience happiness without alcohol or even excess adrenalin for "fun". We can relax without nicotine to calm us down. We can use our own willpower to motivate ourselves without caffeine. We can CHOOSE to focus on hearing the Lord's voice. Everything we take into our bodies has side affects. Everything we think, say, or do also has side affects. We choose and we receive the consequences of our own choices. We can't blame anyone or anything else.