There are certain people in life you can recognize by just their voice. It is usually someone you care about deeply and often times love.
You learned your mom’s voice early on as she would yell your name to come in for dinner and you could hear it a mile away. You know your spouse’s voice and can hear it above the others when you walk into a room. You know the voice of your children. Once they come into this world and they are yours, the leave a remarkable and unmistakable mark on your heart you’ll never forget.
One voice that can be hard to hear is the voice of God. People believe they never hear Him because they are listening for an audible tone that could belong to no one else. The truth is though, not many people ever audibly hear God speak to them.
This isn’t usually how He works. So how can you discern if you are hearing Him in other ways? The Bible says you can hear His voice if you belong to Him. Well, don’t we all belong to Him? He calls us His sons and daughters.
Your birth does bind you to Him as we are born children of God. But to belong to someone means you are attached to them by your allegiance and dependency on them. So there are two types of belonging.
The first is automatic as you’re born into this world. The second is a result of a choice you make to accept Christ and His sacrifice—choosing to live a life of devotion and reliance on Him alone.
Many try to hear Him speak to them just by association, the first kind of belonging. You will not truly hear Him in your life if you don’t willfully choose to belong to Him.
When you make this choice, He will work in your life to guide and protect you. Hearing Him comes through becoming close to Him. This happens when you regularly spend time in His Word. Accepting Christ allows His Spirit to live in you and it’s through His Spirit you can discern guidance through the Instruction Book He left us.
Praying for God to show you the way or help you decide your next step doesn’t usually result in a miraculous sign from the heavens such as 100 geese flying in formation or the right television commercial coming on at the right time.
His signs may not come in earthly forms, but if you cultivate a deep relationship with Him you will know He is speaking to you through the gentle nudgings you feel within your heart. Just as everything you do flows from your heart, I believe He also speaks to your heart.
The last way He can speak to you is through those around you. Surrounding yourself with a community of believers is important on many levels, but when it comes to knowing whether you’re hearing God or not, those believers in your life can confirm what He’s saying to you—sometimes without even knowing they are doing it.
This is the power of His Spirit! I am so in awe of His wonderful ways. I pray for your relationship with Him to deeper levels of intimacy where you fully let Him into your heart and you find your way so close to Him you can hear His heart beating.
What have you been asking God lately and how have you been intentional in listening for His unique voice?
