How do we know what it is that God is saying to us at any given moment? How can we discern His voice above the noise? There are many thoughts and feelings that might be swirling within us at any given moment and even more than that there are a thousand different circumstances, obstacles, distractions and voices that swirl around us all the time. How can we pick out the voice of God and hear, understand and follow what He is saying to us?
Jesus told us that His sheep know His voice. Do we know Jesus’ voice? Are we really listening for His voice? Are we trying to hear what His instructions and exhortations are to us or are we merely listening for a particular answer we have been asking for? Are we listening for what God is revealing or are we only seeking for what we want?
God may be revealing something completely different than what the inner and outer voices are clamoring and saying. So often in my life I find myself looking and listening for God but only inasmuch as He addresses what I think He should be addressing.
It’s almost like I come and ask God: “Can you help me with strength to work in the garden” and God says back to me “I want you to work in the kitchen” or “I want you to rest in the living room”.
And because God didn’t say back to me anything about the garden or strength then I figure He didn’t answer me.
Are you listening for the Lord or are you listening for what you hope/want/wish/desire to hear?
What is most helpful, what is most significant and what is most life-giving is not having a particular answer to a particular question or having God speak in the way that we want Him to, but rather that we listen for Him and look for Him no matter how He appears or what He says.
Another thing that is so important for us to be able to identify the voice of God is to familiarize ourselves with His voice by being in His Word. The more we are in the Bible, the more we will be able to recognize God’s voice over and against the other voices shouting around us. It can be too easy to convince ourselves that we have heard from God because we prayed about it or thought about it alot, but we need to avail ourselves to Him by sitting under the tutelage of His Word. The Bible together with prayer and godly counsel (from other mature believers) are tremendous tools for discernment.
One last thing: make sure that when you are seeking to hear the voice of God that you have properly postured yourself before Him. Be sure that you are humbly approaching Him. Make sure that your heart is open to whatever God’s will is (even if it is suffering or mystery). Be content to receive from the Lord whatever He has planned for you.
Let me close with this: God said that we will find Him when we seek Him with all of our hearts. So we can know that if we are knocking and seeking He will open the door and answer us, and the more we see and hear Him, the more we can know His heart and recognize His voice.
Pastor Michael Johnson 