How do you hear the voice of God? Seems a rather strange
question to be posed on a blog such as this.
Or, maybe not. I often have characters who hear God in their
own ways. And in my next post, I am going to make a comment to the fact that
“God told me thus-and-so”, and I thought I should explain myself before the
fact. Not everyone – even those who claim to be people of faith – believes that
God speaks to each in a personal way. And some think that they should be hearing God more often, but
don’t know to recognize His voice.
Following are six ways one might hear the voice of God.
1. You might hear an audible voice.
This rarely happens, and has never happened to me. But I
don’t doubt that it can happen. Why
not? God can do miracles.
I have also met someone who one time – and one time only –
saw a vision of Jesus. She was going through a very dark time, and Jesus
appeared and said something like, “I’ve never left you alone.” The woman who
told the story was not the kind to make up stories or act “super-spiritual.”
Moving on…
2. You might have a gut feeling.
Sometimes, a “gut feeling” comes from the wisdom of your
soul. But sometimes – maybe even many times – it comes from heaven.
For me, the gut feeling is usually a negative feeling,
warning me off making a particular decision. I’ve ignored it in the past, and
always regretted it. Once I even had a fender-bender because of it.
3. You might have strong feeling to do (or not do) something.
This one is hard to explain. It’s a level or two above a
“gut feeling.” It’s almost as if an invisible hand is pulling you back or
pushing you forward.
When I lived in Dallas, I was at the library one day, and
even though I was finished browsing and checking out books, I could not leave. Every time I headed for
the exit, I felt like a heavy hand landed on my shoulder and impeded my
progress.
So I walked around the stacks for about twenty minutes,
silently asking what on earth I was there for. Then a woman recognized me from
a church meeting. She told me she was in an abusive relationship and begged me
to pray for her.
I did. And was subsequently “allowed” to go home.
4. An unexpected thought might budge into your head.
You are stewing over a problem, and the solution comes like
a flash of light. You know it has to be God, because it is so not something you
would have ever come up with. Or, you are praying about something, and a verse
from the Bible pops into your head. That’s the Holy Spirit bringing your
spiritual knowledge back to your memory.
Or, you are talking to someone. All of a sudden, words come
out of your mouth that are so wise, so perfect for the situation you’re
conversing about that you know your brain couldn’t have contrived them on its
own.
5. You have a growing conviction over time.
I heard that on a podcast once: “The voice of God is a
growing conviction over time.” I think that’s how God most often communicates –
or, at least, how we best hear Him. Anyway, that’s true for me.
One day I begin
to think about, or struggle over an issue in my life, one that requires a
decision. Of all the options (more like, of both the options), one seems to
rise up above the other. The next day, that same option feels even stronger. A
week or a month later, the “knowing”, the conviction, is so strong that I know
it has to be the way God is leading me.
6. God might send someone to speak to you.
I am not necessarily talking about a “prophetic word” or “word
of knowledge,” though I certainly do not dismiss this most fascinating way God
speaks. I am more thinking about how God
sends people into other people’s lives to share information, wisdom, or
encouragement to help you overcome an obstacle looming up in front of you.
How do you hear the voice of God? Perhaps the best answer is
this: listen.
Happy reading (or, shall I say this time, listening),
Emily Josephine
