Hearing God Beyond Words
This post was originally written several years ago and has been lightly edited for clarity and relevance. It reflects my thoughts and experiences from that season of life.
One of the big questions I often hear from people who are seeking God is, “How can I hear Him?” I’ve asked that same question myself while getting to know the Almighty. It’s a perfectly valid question. After all, it’s not like I can schedule a Starbucks coffee date and catch up on life… “So God… how’s the whole running-the-world thing going?”
Hearing God’s side of the conversation is about much more than sound. He reaches into the soul to communicate. God wants to hear everything. He invites us to call on Him so that He can tell us incredible things— things beyond our understanding (Jeremiah 33:3). That’s a pretty amazing invitation, if you ask me!
Scripture gives us many examples of God speaking audibly to people like, Moses hearing God through a burning bush (which would definitely get my attention). In my experience, and from what I’ve learned from others,
God speaks to people in deeply personal ways.
He meets us where we are. For me, I’ve heard Him through friends, song lyrics, the words of an author, or the message of a preacher. When my heart is connected to God, His voice becomes clear.
There have also been moments when I have quite literally heard His voice! Moments during prayer when my eyes flew open and I scanned the room, fully expecting someone to be standing there. Those moments are precious and hard to describe. Even now, they bring tears to my eyes!
I remember being mid-rant about something, pausing briefly to gather my thoughts, and hearing, clear as day, “I love you. You’re doing great.”
Eyes wide open.
Whoa. That was God.
More recently, during a quiet time of prayer, I found myself pleading with God to change a situation. It was one of those “I really need You to fix this, Jesus” kind of prayers. Afterward, I opened a devotional and read this:
“Don't waste energy regretting the way things are or thinking about what might have been. Start the present moment-accepting things exactly as they are-and search for My way in the midst of those circumstances.” —Jesus Calling, Sarah Young
I don’t believe in coincidence. That was Jesus responding.
And just in case I didn’t fully catch His message, the devotional closed with words that have long been my life verse:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” —Proverbs 3:5–6
Hearing God is a challenge! I won’t pretend otherwise. There is so much noise and distraction around us. But don’t give up. It is possible to hear His gentle whispers. When we keep our hearts connected to Him, His voice will be heard.
