“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26 (NIV)

Have you ever tried to carry on a conversation with someone you didn’t know? It usually doesn’t get very far – the conversation is strained, and there is a lack of two-way communication. As Christians, we want to talk with God, and we yearn to “hear” His voice. But how do we know when He is speaking? Communication begins with a relationship. I had to get to know God before I was able to engage in fulfilling conversations with Him.

In my quest to hear Him, I realized that God is always speaking, I just did not hear Him because I was not tuned in to His voice. For example, when we turn off our radio, the signal is still being sent out, we just cannot hear it because we have chosen not to listen. Hearing God’s voice is a conscious choice, and in order to hear Him, I had to be tuned in and listening for Him to speak.

In Old Testament times, God spoke to believers in various ways, including through dreams, prophets, and angels. Today, now that we have the Holy Spirit with us to help us recognize it, God often speaks to us in subtle ways. I have realized that God often speaks to me in such quiet, non-eventful ways that I’m often not certain at first that I heard Him. But once I got past the notion that I needed to hear from God in magnificent, loud, supernatural ways, I was able to recognize the still, small voice which He usually uses. I was then able to see Him using His quiet and gentle voice to shape my heart and protect and guide me in every circumstance in my life. The more I looked for His presence, and the more I expected to Hear from Him in whatever way He chose, the more I began seeing Him at work in my life. As I began to obey the subtle signs that the Holy Spirit was giving me, my sensitivity and awareness of God’s voice began to increase.

I have been receiving these Proverbs 31 devotions for several years, and I always enjoy them. However, on some days, the words and scriptures in the devotions seem a direct answer to a prayer or problem I’m having. At other times, God has used people, circumstances, His Word, and my own thoughts to bring comfort or provide some clarity for an issue I’m dealing with. I choose to view these incidents as God “speaking” to me. If something ironic happens, I often trust that God used that person, scripture, or circumstance to speak directly to me.

Do you want to begin hearing from Christ on a more consistent basis, and feel more confident in your conversations with Him? Does the thought of hearing God speak to your heart fill you with excitement? Here a few suggestions to help you begin tuning in to His voice:

1) Pray for God to help you hear His voice.

2) Every time you open the Bible, ask God to illuminate scriptures for you and speak to your spirit.

3) Be willing to take a risk, and say YES to God when you believe you hear Him.

4) Wait with anticipation to hear from God.

Dear Lord, please make your voice loud and clear to me in ways I will understand. Increase my awareness of Your presence, and help me trust You in all things. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and awaken my heart as I wait with anticipation to hear from You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Visit Tracie Miles’ blog

He Speaks To Me, by Priscilla Shirer

Today’s P31 Radio Show

Application Steps:

Begin practicing the four things listed above.

Reflections:

Do I frequently write off irony as something other than God? Next time consider if it could be God at work.

Is it possible that God has been speaking to me, and I have not been in tune to His voice?

Power Verses:

John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (NIV)

Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (NIV)

© 2008 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.