How does God speak to us?
The Devotional Answer
God is not silent! The incredible truth is that the Creator of the universe wants a personal conversation with you. He is always speaking, but sometimes we just need to learn how to listen.
The Simple Answer
God speaks to us today primarily through His written Word (the Bible), the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and through the wise people and circumstances in our lives.
The Deeper Dive: Three Ways to Listen
The Book (God’s Unchanging Voice): The Bible is God’s clear, sure, and dependable voice. It is the main way He communicates His truth, His nature, and His plans for us. Anything you think God is saying must always match up with what the Bible says!
The Whisper (The Holy Spirit): The Holy Spirit lives inside every believer and guides us by giving us a sense of peace, prompting us toward good choices, or giving us a strong conviction (a feeling of knowing) about something. This is often a quiet, gentle voice, not a loud one.
The World (People and Circumstances): God often uses wise friends, pastors, or even a sudden event to give us direction. When several people give you the same, wise, biblical advice, it’s a good sign God is trying to get your attention!
God’s Clarity
The Bible reminds us that while God has spoken in many ways throughout history, His most complete and final word is through Jesus:
"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son."
— Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)
Your Takeaway Thought
The best way to get good at hearing God is to spend time in the Bible every day. If you want to know what God sounds like, read His Book! The more you read, the easier it will be to recognize His voice over the noise of the world.
