There are seasons of my life when I struggle to hear from God. In most cases, it’s not because He’s speaking too softly, but because I’m not listening carefully enough—I’m distracted by something else in the world. Yes, there’s a part of me that wants to listen, but a greater part that’s getting drawn away.
What do we do when we want to be productive for the Kingdom, but I feel disconnected?
Jesus said:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
John 15:4 (ESV)
I think we sometimes become more focused on the fruit than the abiding.
We seek results rather than communion. And that’s when we stop hearing God.
In those moments, it’s helpful to remind ourselves of the many ways God speaks and then pursue those opportunities.
So what are some ways we can stay connected to Christ through the Spirit and hear His voice?
We’ll look at the first five on our list this week and the second half next week.
10 WAYS TO HEAR FROM GOD (PART 1)
1. Allowing the Holy Spirit to teach you.
(John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:9-10; Ephesians 1:17; 1 John 2:27)
Do you have a teachable spirit? We pray through the power of the Holy Spirit, but do we truly expect to receive guidance? When we learn to seek His wisdom and listen for what He wants to teach us, we experience a greater intimacy with God.
…when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:26 (NLT)
Expect to encounter the Holy Spirit. Expect Him to teach and remind you what Christ has done and what He’s still doing.
(I should note that everything else in this list is actually a sub-point of this first point because it’s the Holy Spirit who brings revelation through each of these things.)
2. Reading scripture.
(Psalm 119:105, 130; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
This may seem like an obvious answer, but there’s an important question we should ask ourselves. Do we read the Bible expecting to hear from God or is it just a religious exercise? The first chapter of John teaches us that Christ is the Word. The Word is living, but regularly reading Scripture to check a devotional box is not the same as reading the Bible and expecting to receive a revelation from God.
What if we viewed reading the Bible as a conversation rather than a discipline or obligation?
3. The wonder of creation.
(Psalm 19:1-4, 97:6; Acts 14:7; Romans 1:20)
God has revealed Himself in creation itself. Read the passages outlined above. Many people feel close to God when they’re experiencing nature. That’s because they’re actually experiencing the power of the Creator. Don’t just appreciate the beauty of this world, use it as an opportunity to communicate with the One who made it. When was the last time you sat under the stars and marveled at the glory of God?
The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19), and if you seek Him there, so will you.
4. During times of silence and meditation.
(Psalm 46:10, 62:5, 119:15; Philippians 4:8)
Silent meditation is not the same as prayer. Prayer is a two-way conversation. Silence, on the other hand, is a lost discipline that teaches us how to listen and remove the distractions we talked about earlier. Unlike Eastern meditation, which seeks to empty you, Christian meditation is about filling you up. It teaches you to let go of human thoughts and sit at the feet of Christ.
How often to you practice being silent? Losing sight of this discipline is often what causes us to stop hearing God.
5. Asking for wisdom and direction in prayer.
(Jeremiah 33:3; Matthew 6:6; James 1:5)
This may seem oversimplified, but if you don’t feel you’re receiving ongoing revelation from God, have you asked Him for it? Our first purpose in prayer is to glorify God and honor Him with gratitude, but James also says:
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
James 1:5 (NLT)
Maybe we haven’t sincerely asked to hear from God. It’s possible to think we have, but if we ask while still engaging in the things distracting us from hearing Him, we’ll misinterpret it and think He’s not hearing us. But He hears you.
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That’s the first five ways to hear from God on our list. In the next post, we’ll explore the second half of the list.
In the meantime, I encourage you to spend this week going over the methods above and meditate on the Scriptures listed for each one. Pursue these paths to God’s voice and you’ll hear Him more clearly.
- Which of these have you practiced? Encourage other readers by sharing your experience in the comments.
- Which of these items do you sense God nudging you to practice in a more sincere way? Let us encourage you when you comment below.
All really good suggestions and reminders. I particularly appreciated the points about creation and finding God and listening to God in creation. On my daily walks in the wooded trails around my home I feel God’s presence. I also appreciated your point, about “Do you have a teachable spirit? We pray through the power of the Holy Spirit, but do we truly expect to receive guidance? “ I think you make a really good point about a stance of humility and teachability. If we do not approach God with this posture, we are not open to hearing from him or being taught by him.
I’m so grateful for your encouraging words, Anne. Your wooded walks sound wonderful. Isn’t it amazing to walk in creation and sense God’s presence walking with us? Thank you for your comment
Thank you for the guideline. I want to grow in the prophetic and studying more of prophetic Life.
Excellent post, Joshua. One to share with others. A group of nine ladies will gather this weekend to practice all if these as part of the Pausing for R&R (rest and renewal) Retreat.
Looking forward to the remaining ways to hear him in your next post.
Being a farm girl, I have the opportunity to marvel at God’s creation several times a day. There’s something especially amazing about the predawn hours when the earth seems to be awakening to the promise of a new day. I confess, that I need to work on all the other areas you mention. I look forward to delving more deeply in the scripture you have shared. Thank you for inspiring us.
You are welcome, Katherine. I’ve spent many mornings waking up on a farm and it’s a fantastic way to sense God’s presence and majesty. I’m so grateful for your encouragement. I pray God speaks to you through the Scriptures as you dive into them this week.
“The Word is living, but regularly reading Scripture to check a devotional box is not the same as reading the Bible and expecting to receive a revelation from God.
What if we viewed reading the Bible as a conversation rather than a discipline or obligation?” ——Yes! Thank you, Pastor. I’ve been thinking how I need to slow down and ponder what I’m reading, ask God what He is trying to say to me today in even just one line of scripture. It’s better to ingest a little deeply than to skim over large portions and wonder what I read, right? And what if we approached the Word and the throne with the heart attitude of, give me God, instead of “Gimmie, God!”?
Thanks too for the admonishment to get outside in God’s creation with Him- It makes a world of difference when I do. As a matter of fact I can’t finish writing the piece I started writing months ago on that topic until I spend more time there!
Looking forward to part 2. God bless. 🙂
I think you’re right, Rachael. There’s so much value in really engaging with a small piece of scripture, asking God what He wants to show us. Our desire should always be to hear God speak.
I love the phrase you used, “Give me God instead of ‘Gimmie, God!’” That is an excellent way to say that. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I pray the Lord will encourage you in your writing as you draw closer to Him.
“We seek results rather than communion.” What a powerful statement! I don’t want to be the sort of believer who only comes to God seeking good things from him, I want to seek him. Thanks for these wonderful tips!
Peace and grace,
Tammy
Thank you, Tammy. That’s my desire too. May God strengthen us both in that goal.
These are all excellent tips; I look forward to the next blog post. I know I can use better discernment in my own life and walk with the Lord. This blog post blessed me today. Thank you!
I’m so grateful to hear you were blessed by this post, Candice. I pray God will encourage you throughout the week and draw you even closer in your relationship with Him.
Sharing time with God brings me closer and closer to Him. I chat with God throughout the day and night. I thank Him for simple things and for major things. He is always listening and always with us. What a comfort! 🙂
That is a fantastic attitude, Melissa. Being aware of God’s presence and engaging with Him in an ongoing way should be our goal in building a relationship with Him.
This is amazing! “We seek results rather than communion.” How true this is! Thank you for a great reminder to sit and listen as well as to truly seek Jesus when we have quiet time (and not just check the box!).
You’re welcome. I appreciate your kind words and encouragement. This is something I need to practice better myself.
I think that we overlook hearing from God in creation because we are so tied up in forming logical arguments from the Bible. There are a number of issues where God uses creation itself to speak His plan and desire. I especially think of LGBTQ issues.
Rachel,
Thank you for your comment. We sometimes get wrapped up in analyzing God’s Word instead of listening to it. It’s important to study, but it’s also important to slow down and listen to God.
All great suggestions Pastor Joshua. I practice many of these, but can always learn to apply them in my life better. Can’t wait to see the next five. I never really thought about “Christian meditation is about filling you up.”, but is what happens isn’t it? When I’m sitting in my UTV looking east over my ranch, livestock, home, and family, I silently set and just let God fill me with His presence. As I feel the sun warming my face, my heart glows as He’s refilling me with His love. Thank you!
I can only imagine how beautiful it must be to look over your ranch as the sun rises. What a wonderful opportunity to hear from God and reflect on His majesty. How wonderful it is that God’s given you a portion of His creation to steward. Blessings, J.D.
All good ways to hear from God better. We need to actively pursue getting to know and experience Him more. Thank you for your words os insight and encouragement.
You’re right, Dawn. We have to pursue opportunities to hear from God. He wants us to be active participants in our relationship with him. Thanks so much for your comment.