Isaiah 30:21 “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.”
A child finds comfort in hearing their parent’s voice beyond all else. It’s incredible to see how they react to a reassuring remark uttered gently but with assurance, love, and confidence. It also holds true for our connection with God. We yearn to hear from Him as His children. I like how Proverbs 3:5–6 reads in The Message.
“Don’t attempt to figure things out on your own; trust God with all of your heart. Everywhere you go, pay attention to what God is saying because He is the one who will keep you on course.”
According to this verse, it’s more likely that I’m not listening rather than God is not communicating. To me, this is how God’s voice is mysterious.
Do you pay attention to what God is saying in all that you do, wherever you may be? Men in particular find it simple to isolate themselves and focus just on the task at hand. We have a tendency to keep our daily lives and spiritual lives apart. If you feel that way, I would like to urge you to deliberately seek God’s guidance in all that you do, not just when making major decisions or on Sundays when you go to church, read your bible, or pray. Make it a habit to hear God’s voice in every aspect of your life.
The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the word of God. What is He saying to you? God speaks through His Spirit, the Bible, circumstances, and others in ways consistent with His revealed Word that He may reveal Himself, His nature, and His ways to us. The Bible is filled with examples of how He spoke in times past. One of my favourites is found in 1 Kings 19, when He spoke to a discouraged prophet named Elijah. Even prophets get depressed. Elijah had isolated himself in a cave that only reinforced his feelings of loneliness. But God wasn’t through with His servant. Notice how God spoke to him:
1 Kings 19:11–12 “The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”
To hear a whisper, you have to be quiet. You have to really listen for it. You have to expect it. It wasn’t in the powerful wind, the earthquake, or the fire that God spoke. Those no doubt got his attention. It was with a gentle whisper. Listen for that whisper in your life in everything you do.
Make prayer a dialogue, not just a monologue of your voice. Pause and be still. Wait for Him to speak. Sometimes it’s a simple prompting in your heart or idea. It could be a feeling of holy discontent or a direct answer from reading the Bible.
The Bible promises that as you develop the skill of listening for God’s whisper, “Your own ears will hear Him. This is the way you should go,” a voice will say from behind you. How fantastic would that be?