Have you ever asked God to speak to you? I know I have. Communication is the lifeblood of any relationship, and our relationship with God is no different. The truth is God is constantly speaking, but we often cannot recognize his voice because we aren’t paying attention. God manifestly speaks in a number of ways.
Different Ways God Speaks
- Nature. “The heavens declare the glory of God. . . ” (Psalm 19:19)
- Prophets and Christ, whose words were recorded in the Bible (Hebrews 1:1)
- The Holy Spirit (John 16:8)
- People (Judge 2:16; Hebrews 1:1)
- Dreams (1 Samuel 28:6)
- Any way he chooses because he’s God.
Many of us don’t take the time to seek God. Or we are ignorant of His character and ways, and so we reject the communication he sends us. Rejection, in fact, was the most common reaction of people God spoke to throughout the Bible. People rejected the message, and persecuted or killed the messenger, Christ obviously being the most blatant example of this.
Rejection, in fact, was the most common reaction of people God spoke to throughout the Bible.
God is fundamentally different from us and infinitely greater. The fact that he would communicate with us at all is remarkable. Moses is the only person in the Bible whom God is said to have spoke with “face to face, like a man speaks with his friend” (Exodus 33:11). And those who were alive at the time of Christ had the privilege of hearing from God, in human form, face to face.
We need to be mindful of the times we live in. Today we are blessed to have more communication from God, written down, than most people did throughout human history. God is still speaking to us today on a personal level to address our unique needs and challenges. The most common way God speaks to me is through his word, through my pastor, through my friends, and through my experiences.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27
Before we can begin to hear God’s voice afresh in our lives, we need to make sure we are already walking in obedience to what he has already spoken. I know that truth brings conviction to me. Are we trying to lead God where we want him to take us, or are we following him where he wants us to go?
The truth is that God is speaking, but he is not the only one. We have to learn to distinguish his voice from the voice of man, the voice of culture, and the voice of fear, among others. That’s where discernment comes into play as we grow in relationship with God.
What might God be trying to communicate to us today?
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