Listening for God's Direction

If you feel overwhelmed or confused about a decision you’re trying to make, what you may need most right now is not more opinions or information—but to hear from God.

Scripture reminds us, “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33 NIV).

He isn’t trying to hide his will from you. If you seek His direction, he will guide you. When God speaks, it doesn’t create anxiety and worry. In fact, it creates the exact opposite.

One sign you’ve heard God’s voice is when you’re in the middle of a storm—everyone else is worried and running around—yet you have a peace you can’t explain. That’s a sure sign you’re hearing from him. His voice gives you peace.

The Bible tells us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).

Think about a decision you’re facing right now. What part of Philippians 4:6-7 are you already doing, and what part do you need to start doing?

You can count on this: When God speaks, his words bring peace, not anxiety.

The Message paraphrase of the Bible says, “Listen for God’s voice in everything you do and everywhere you go. He’s the one who will keep you on track” (Proverbs 3:6).

I can’t count the number of times that God has spared me from a failure or mistake or major embarrassment. Sometimes he just says one or two words to me—“Don’t,” or “No,” or “Watch out.” That’s all he needs to say.

So, how do you know his voice? How do you know it’s God speaking to you?

You get to know HIM.

If your mom or spouse called you on the phone, you’d probably be able to discern their voice even without Caller-ID. You know their voice, because you know them.

Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27 NLT).

Take time to get to know to your Good Shepherd. Then, you will be able to discern his voice.