In the midst of a hard season it can sometimes feel like God is distant when you need him the most. You are desperately praying, seeking to hear his voice for direction or help, yet all you hear is silence.
Often, a reminder is needed that the silence doesn’t mean he isn’t working or there. He is. “How does God speak to us?” you might ask, then.
It is through multiple avenues. You just have to trust and know who God is with great faith—leaning on his character and promises. He has not left you, and never will.
How Does God Speak to Us Today?
God doesn’t change. He is still the same God that you read about in the Bible. He spoke to biblical figures (Hebrews 1:1) and God speaks to people today.
God talks to you through the Bible. How he speaks to you is not always in the expected ways. You have to be aware of this and be alert to hear from him throughout the day.
“For God does speak—now one way, now another—though no one perceives it.” (Job 33:14, NIV)
He speaks to you through the people in your life: believers, nonbelievers, friends, family, pastors, and even strangers. God talks to you through sermons and even social media. He uses his creation and he uses your dreams. God uses the mundane moments in life that might seem trivial… but can be so significant if you are seeing them through his perspective.
You need to be diligent to keep your ears, eyes and heart open to hearing from him in your everyday life. God is everywhere and you need to be alert.
Does God Speak to Us in Dreams?
God speaks to us through dreams. In the book of Genesis, we read about Jacob and Joseph having dreams from God. Those dreams foretold what was to come for them.
God still speaks to many people today through dreams. Not every dream we have is from God, but he does sometimes speak to people in that way. You need to practice discernment when determining if a dream was from God.
Hearing God’s Voice
It is important that you know what God’s voice is like so you can listen to it. The enemy is always trying to deceive you and lead you astray from God. He speaks lies all the time, and if you don’t know the voice of God you might believe them.
When you want to know if you heard accurately from God, you have to know that if what you heard doesn’t align with scripture then it’s not from him. When God speaks to you he doesn’t go against his word, and would not say anything against his own character.
When God talks, his words don’t bring confusion… but peace. His words hold wisdom for you. He speaks from a place of love, because he loves you.
You will know his voice because you belong to him. Trust it and don’t let the enemy make you feel fearful or insecure.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27, NIV)
Sometimes you might hear a message that he speaks to you multiple times; that is God confirming it for you. Be confident that God speaks to you and have faith. (Romans 10:17)
When you are secure in this, your relationship with him will be more intimate. That allows you to love God more, to love yourself and to love people by blessing them with God’s words, too, following the greatest commandment.
How to Hear From God
If you’ve ever asked “how do I hear from God?” there are several ways to hear from God that will help you.
God wants to speak to you. The benefits of hearing the voice of God are astonishing. It changes your life to hear from your creator, who loves you relentlessly.
God is in a relationship with you and wants his turn to personally pour into your life, with his words. Sometimes it’s just hard to know how to hear from him or give him the opportunity to speak to you.
If you really want to hear from God for yourself on a daily, consistent basis, here are 4 tips that I would recommend.
1. Listening to God’s Voice
Oftentimes there’s so much to get off your chest that you don’t make the time to be silent and listen to God. But it’s important that you do because this gives him space to speak.
“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15, NIV)
Making time to be silent and listen to God can change it all. It gives him the space to speak. It shows him that you have surrendered, and want to hear from him. That you need his words. Even if it’s a few minutes, make time to be silent and still before God and listen. It’s a discipline.
2. Clean Out Your Heart
If your heart is filled with hurt, pain, anger, bitterness, or unforgiveness from the past (or present), it can be hard to hear from God consistently.
The more you give your wounds to God, the more your heart is unhindered. That allows you to give it more completely to God.
“… let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22, NIV)
The more God has your heart, the deeper a heart connection you will have with him… which leads to a deeper relationship. This allows you to hear from him better, because you have cleaned out the junk. This is something you need to do every day. Give God the things weighing on your heart so you can hear from him.
3. Draw Closer to God
If you want to hear from God, you have to draw closer to him.
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8, NIV)
Repent of your sins and choose not to walk in them anymore. Read the Bible often to get to know him more. God talks to you through the Bible.
And pray more. The more you draw closer to him, you will hear from him. Be intentional about spending more time with God to hear from him.
4. Desire to Hear From God
Hearing God requires that you desire it—practice perseverance and diligence to sit before him, read the Bible, and have faith. You’ll learn to discern his voice because you have the desire to hear it.
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.” (Psalm 73:25, NIV)
He knows your heart and wants to meet the desires of it. Make hearing from God a desire of yours. Your desires show your heart for him, and to him. If you really want to hear from him you will. Just position yourself properly.
How does God speak to us? God talks to us in many different ways. If you want to hear from God, make time to listen to God’s voice by being silent, cleaning out your heart, drawing closer to God and desiring to hear from him. God talks and he wants to speak to you. You can hear from him.
