Is God Speaking?
“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
1 Samuel 3:9 NIV
“Take some time right now to worship God.
Expect Him to draw near to you as you do so.”
~James W. Goll, The Beginner’s Guide to Hearing God
In the Bible we read about God speaking to people in many ways. In the Old Testament, He “appeared” to Abraham, called to Moses from a burning bush, and spoke to Balaam through a donkey. In the New Testament He spoke through His Son and through the apostles. We also read about Him speaking to people in dreams, through angels, through prophets, or in an audible voice. But does He still speak to us today? Yes, He does! This week I’ve collected short readings from various Christian authors about learning to hear God. I hope they help you as they have helped me.
“Does God really speak today? Will He speak personally to me? If I listen, will He speak in such a manner that even I can understand? Thank God, the answer is yes!
And, believe it or not . . . , God Himself wants all of us to hear what He is saying — more than any of us do!”
~James W. Goll, The Beginner’s Guide to Hearing God
Be Still
“Be still, and know that I am God!”
Psalm 46:10 NLT
“Softly I announce My Presence. Shimmering hues of radiance tap gently at your consciousness, seeking entrance. Though I have all Power in heaven and on earth, I am infinitely tender with you. The weaker you are, the more gently I approach you. Let your weakness be a door to My Presence.”
~Sarah Young, Jesus Calling
The first thing we have to learn is how to be still before God. For me, this is the hardest part. My mind is always racing, and my inner voice is constantly babbling. I feel like my continual prayer should be, “Help! I’m talking and I can’t shut up!” But if we can learn to quiet the storms inside of us and focus on His Presence — His goodness, His power, His love — we can find the peace that surpasses understanding. We can feel His arms around us. We can learn to listen for the voice of our Father.
“Learning how to hear the voice of God is the solution to a thousand problems! It’s also the key to discovering our destiny and fulfillling our potential. . . . Ultimately, all of us need to find our voice. And by voice I mean the unique message God wants to speak through our lives. But finding our voice starts with hearing His voice.”
~Mark Batterson, Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God
Seek Him
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13
“God is committed to your success — the Lord is dedicated to helping you experience Him, the purposes you were created for, and the full expression of your potential. That means His will for you is not unreachable. In fact, He is constantly communicating it to you. If you set your heart to love and seek Him, He will take you there. So today, don’t take the frustrating path of trying to guess God’s mind. Rather, seek Him, trust Him to disclose His plans, obey Him, and He will direct your course.”
~ Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life
God promises that when we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him. The main thing God desires is a relationship with us. He is always seeking us, so to find Him all we have to do is seek Him in return. He wants to communicate His will and share the amazing plans He has for our lives. He wants to give us everything we need to fulfill the purpose for which He created us. He wants to let us know how much He loves us.
“The same God who breathed life into you and formed you in your mother’s womb loves you enough to plan for your future and be actively involved in all that concerns you. He has promised that if you’ll seek Him, you’ll find Him, and you will discover His awesome will for your life.”
~Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life
Get to Know His Voice
“My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
John 10:27 TLB
“The quality of the time we spend fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit has everything to do with hearing God’s voice. . . . Go ahead, ask Him questions. The more specific we become in our asking, the more detailed His answers to us will be. In fact, pause right now and ask God a question. He will answer! Watch out, though, the Holy Spirit might turn around and ask you some questions, perhaps even give you some tests to take.”
~James W. Goll, The Beginner’s Guide to Hearing God
The more time we spend with our Lord, the easier it is for us to recognize His voice. We get to know Him first and foremost in His Word. Scripture reveals who God is, what He wants, and how He operates. The more familiar we are with His ways, the easier it will become for us to hear Him. But we have to come to Him with a willing heart, ready to obey whatever He tells us. The Spirit of God lives inside of every believer, communicating His will and revealing His truth to each of us in a unique and personal way. As we learn to listen to His leading and follow His instructions, we begin to be transformed. And we begin to experience the abundant life He has in store for us!
“If you aren’t willing to listen to everything God has to say, you eventually won’t hear anything He has to say. If you want to hear His comforting voice, you have to listen to His convicting voice. And it’s often what we want to hear least that we need to hear most. Trust me, though, you want to hear what He has to say.”
~Mark Batterson, Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God
Expect Him to Speak
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'”
Isaiah 30:21 NIV
“It is easy to get caught up in our tasks, becoming too busy for what God says is most important — listening to His words. Before making your schedule, take time to focus on what God wants from all your activities. Knowing what God has said before you rush into your day can help you avoid foolish mistakes.”
~Chronological Life Application Study Bible
To me, the most exciting part of learning how to hear God is being amazed by the unexpected ways He speaks! More than once I have gasped at the way He has answered me when I’ve asked Him for guidance. He has spoken to me through Scripture verses, my daily readings, nature, dreams, and other people. He has also spoken to me through songs on the radio, sci-fi television shows, and old text messages that “magically” reappeared on my phone after I thought I had deleted them. He has even spoken to me through myself — leading me to answer my own questions as I write in my journal. I have learned that the main thing I have to do when I ask Him a question is expect Him to answer. If I keep my eyes and ears open and stay focused on Him, He will tell me what I need to know!
“See if you can list five different ways God’s voice came to you — this week!
(Think about everything that happened. Do you remember a bit of a dream? Did a verse from the Bible jump off the page at you? Did you experience deep peace? Did your spirit say ‘amen’ to one of the points in your pastor’s sermon? Did a friend call to encourage you?)”
~James W. Goll, The Beginner’s Guide to Hearing God
Pay Attention
We often get so busy with our daily lives that we forget to pay attention to what God is trying to tell us. He is with us every minute of every day, and He is constantly trying to communicate with us. All we have to do is take the time to notice . . .
“I am the goal of all your searching. When you seek Me, you find Me and are satisfied. When lesser goals capture your attention, I fade into the background of your life. I am still there, watching and waiting, but you function as if you were alone. Actually, My Light shines on every situation you will ever face. Live radiantly by expanding your focus to include Me in all your moments.”
~Sarah Young, Jesus Calling
This week’s Scripture passages remind us that God is always speaking. When we seek Him, we will find Him. And He will lead us into abundant life beyond our imagination. As we begin each day this week, let’s remember to include our Father in all our moments. He’s got amazing things to tell us!
“Come and listen to what the Lord your God says.”
Joshua 3:9 NLT
References:
- Batterson, Mark. Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God. Multnomah, 2017.
- Chronological Life Application Study Bible, New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 2012.
- “‘GOD IS SPEAKING’ | Christian short film.” YouTube, uploaded by Joseph The Dreamer, 6 October 2017, https://youtu.be/qJARfWkQyH4.
- Goll, James W. The Beginner’s Guide to Hearing God. Regal from Gospel Light, 2008.
- Stanley, Charles F. God’s Purpose for Your Life: 365 Devotions. Thomas Nelson, 2020.
- Young, Sarah. Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions with Real-Life Stories. Thomas Nelson, 2019.
Images:
- Heaven featured image by Niklas Tidbury on Unsplash (edited by me)
- Man on Hilltop image by Chetan Menaria on Unsplash
- Rowboat image by berkanbicakhan from Pixabay
- Shepherd and Sheep image by Steven Lasry on Unsplash
- Praying Man image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay
- Path image by jplenio from Pixabay
- Post It Notes image by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
About The Author
Christa
My vision for Wondertakings was to create a devotional blog for "nerdy" Christians like me. I do believe, as Socrates said, that wisdom begins in wonder. So I love to read or watch anything that inspires wonder and figure out what I can learn from it. I view it all through a Christian lens. I believe that God can and does speak through many sources in many ways, even if those speaking are not aware of it. I am not an expert in theology or religious studies. My goal with this blog is simply to share what I've learned as a fellow student and sinner in the Christian walk. My hope and my prayer is that by doing so I may be able to help someone else. In Deuteronomy 5:33 (NLT), we are told: "Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives. . . ." So in the words of Moses (and Spock), live long and prosper, my friends!