When God Speaks

Some people claim that God no longer speaks to us today, as He did in ancient times. Really? Do you think that God is silencing His voice? Does God no longer wish to speak to His children? Since we know that God is the same yesterday and today and forever, Hebrews 13:8 (NIV), then God is still speaking to us today, but we do not seem to be listening. Throughout life, we encounter God’s voice when we take time to listen, to pray, and to discern.

We listen to so many voices – our co-workers, friends and family, television and radio, politicians, music, social media, but how do we hear God speaking to us? Some voices leave us with stress, worry, and upset our peace of mind. God’s words beckon us toward love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Making time for God means taking time to be silent. It is so critical, especially in today’s world, to desire to hear God speaking to us, and to develop an “ear” for listening.

So, what voices are we listening to? How can we hear God’s self-communication and know it is truly the voice of God speaking to us? It will help to recall some stories in the Bible, of God speaking to His people, and the various forms God used then to communicate.

Remember the story of Elijah at Mt. Horeb, who wanted to hear the voice of the Lord? He climbed the mountain and listened, but he did not hear God in the sound of the earthquake, or in the wind, or in the fire, but only in the gentle breeze. Too often, we expect God to speak loudly to us so we can hear, but in reality, God speaks gently. When we are quiet and open, then we can hear God speak. Are we tuned in to prayerful listening?

We hear the story of the Good Shepherd from Jesus Himself. His sheep know their shepherd’s voice and follow. They will not follow a voice that is not from their own shepherd. The shepherd spends time with his sheep and they come to recognize his voice. Hmm, the sheep and shepherd spend time together! Does that sound familiar in deciding how to begin to know someone well? While the sheep mix and mingle with other sheep, when the shepherd calls, they immediately discern his voice above all others and follow him. Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd and His sheep will hear and recognize His voice. Are we too busy to spend time with the Lord? When spending time with Him, we will recognize the voice of God.

Then there is the voice of God speaking to Peter, John, and James on the mountain top saying: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.” Moses heard that voice, too, at the burning bush. When he asked who it was who spoke to him, the voice responded, “I AM WHO AM.” The voice in these last two examples was audible, and they recognized who it was who was speaking to them. There may be times that we, too, actually hear the voice of God in this manner, but more likely, we hear God speak to us in a variety of subtle ways.

We gain so much when we are open to listening for God to direct us, to respond to our requests, or just to let us know of His deep love for us, His children. We may encounter His voice while in church as we receive Holy Communion, or listen to His Word in the gospel readings. Perhaps God speaks to us through Holy Scripture as we read and study on our own. Or, maybe God speaks to us through music, art, through a dear friend or loved one, through a dream, through our conscience, a book, a movie, or through nature. God uses many creative ways to speak to His children.

Knowing how to discern the true voice of God comes as we grow in our faith and develop prayerfulness throughout our lives. Prayer is essential if we want to hear what God has to say to us. God may choose to speak through meditation, when we are quiet and still. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV). God can speak to us at any time and in any way, even when we least expect it, as long as we are open.

The pages of this book are experiences of various people who have over time developed a relationship with the Almighty and discerned His voice and His love for them. In these personal stories, one can see that God communicated with each person in a different way. Sometimes the voice was audible; other times it was through scripture and in quiet, and perhaps divine revelation through movies and music. No matter what form it took, it was every bit as meaningful. One person shares how he heard God’s voice through divine intervention leading him to make a life-changing decision for his family. Another heard the voice of God through a series of events as she visited patients in hospitals and nursing homes. Still another finds that he meets God through the beauty of nature.

Though God spoke to the saints and prophets of the past, each moment of every day, God still speaks to ordinary people like us. We may not always recognize the fact that we experience God not only physically, as in the birth of a newborn baby, or in a gentle touch of someone who loves us, but spiritually—in our hearts and souls.

God calls us do His work here on earth. To listen, we must block the noise that prevents us from truly listening to God. Ronald Rolheiser, O.S.M. shares an ancient legend in his book Prayer, Our Deepest Longing. “There is an ancient legend that holds that when an infant is created, God kisses its soul and sings to it … The sound of God’s heartbeat is audible only in a certain solitude and in the gentleness it brings.”

When we spend time with God in prayer, we will become more familiar with God’s heartbeat—His love and self-communication to us.

It is my hope and prayer that after reading these stories you will begin to recognize God speaking to you in your own life, acknowledging the Spirit of God that resides within us and experiencing our entire life as conversation with the Creator of the universe. As we grow in prayer and recognizing God’s presence throughout our day, opening wide our hearts and minds, we too can say, just like Samuel in the Old Testament, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening!”