Daily Devotional: God's Voice

​We make hearing God's voice far more complicated than it needs to me. Today, I look at how we can recognize when He speaks to us.

I Samuel 3:4

“[T]he Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.”

Wouldn’t it be nice to hear God speak to you plainly? Imagine having a conversation with God just like you have with another person. You can see and hear each other just fine. There is no guessing, no “interpreting,” what you think has been impressed in your spirit.

God’s voice is described as a still, small voice, the sound of a trumpet, and the sound of many waters. God speaks in many voices to many people. How He speaks to me is not necessarily how He speaks to you. How, then, can you recognize God’s voice?

There is only one way to recognize beyond a shadow of a doubt the voice of God: you have to know Him. This is so simple it is easily overlooked. Think about it. When someone speaks to you from another room, how do you know who is speaking? You instinctively recognize the voice because you have a relationship with the person; you have previously had conversations with the person, allowing you to instantly recognize the sound and phrasing of the person speaking.

The same is true of God. You will recognize God’s voice only once you are familiar with His tone and phrasing. When you know who He is, you know how He speaks. If you can only recognize God’s voice by having heard it before, this begs the question, how do you recognize Him the first time?

Surprisingly, the answer is that you have already heard Him speak. You may have heard Him as a child whispering to you through the creation, saying, “See all these wonders? I made them. The beauty you see and the awe it inspires speaks of my greatness.” Even if He never spoke to you through the creation, He has certainly spoken to you through conviction. How did you recognize that you needed a Savior? What voice in your spirit told you that you were a sinner in need of salvation? That was God. Remember that voice, and you will recognize God’s voice.

The truth is, we all know the voice of God. We know Him because He created us. Just like you knew the voice of your mother before you were born, we instinctively recognize the voice of the One who formed us. Do not make recognizing God’s voice more complicated than it is.

• Reflection: Stop and try to remember a time the Lord has spoken to you. Leave a comment below to share what God is doing in your life.