How Can You Hear God’s Voice? Lessons from the Lake
How many of you want to hear God’s voice? That’s not a trick question. Any believer would give a wholehearted yes! By “hear,” I’m not referring to an audible voice but perhaps peace or clarity in a situation where we feel unsure or fearful. Maybe we’re struggling to see God’s hand or wanting to simply find the reassurance of His presence.
However, before we can hear God’s voice, we must first be prepared to listen. This first step is one we often forget and maybe why we often fail or become frustrated in our conversations with God. We’re too busy doing all the talking or perhaps just plain too busy for God to get a word in.
This summer, my family and I traveled to our family cabin in New Hampshire. One evening while we were kayaking Lake Winona, I broke away from the others who were fishing. There was a restlessness in my soul, and I wanted to talk to God about it. Through that solo kayak trip, I rediscovered some basic prerequisites for hearing God’s voice.
Be still.
As I paddled across the lake, I panted the prayer: Lord, I want to hear from you. Though emotionally I wanted to listen, I physically wasn’t still enough to do so. My arms moved back and forth, pumping blood through my veins so hard I could barely concentrate on my own thoughts.
Of course, God could hear me. I just couldn’t hear Him. This experience showed me that my constant movement interfered with my ability to listen.
Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10a NKJV)
Scripture makes clear that stillness is one condition for knowing God. Yet how often do we forget this simple truth?
By nature, I’m a busy person. My husband has even commented that I’m “always moving.” Although in many ways, this ability to hustle is a blessing, I need to take time away from the busy back and forth of life.
I finally glided to a stop on the lake and was content to simply be there. That’s when I could soak in the sunset’s reflection on the water, relish the fresh mountain air around me, and take time to quiet my own thoughts. With my body stilled, I was getting ready to listen.
Unplug.
Next to stillness, we also need a quiet place to prepare our hearts to listen.
Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. (Psalm 4:4b NKJV)
On the lake, I could easily find that undisturbed serenity. However, on a day-to-day basis, we deal with constant “chatter” that makes it hard to meditate on God’s Word and take time for personal reflection.
Back in my parent’s childhood, the only items they had to unplug were things like toasters and power cords. Today, we have to unplug ourselves.
If we actually documented how much time we’re on our Smart Phones, I think the results would shock us. A survey from 2017 documented that millennials spend 223 minutes per day or approximately 3.7 hours on their mobile devices. Based on the upward-trending data from the previous years, that number has probably increased.
Not only are we dealing with a potential time-waster, we’re also dealing with all the distractions and drama that come along with our generation’s need for connectivity.
Yes, smart phones and social media have a purpose. As a writer, I’m keenly aware of the potential and grateful for the way I can connect with readers across time and space. However, the social online sphere can produce so much noise that it drowns out any chance for silence.
Take time to unplug, and don’t make apologies for doing so. A missed text won’t be the end of the world. It will still be there waiting for you to answer later.
Make room.
Clearing the schedule might be easy to do when you’re on vacation, but what about in real life? After all, real life can be messy and disruptive. We can’t predict the emergencies in our lives, and for some people, daily life feels like one crisis after the next.
Jesus was no stranger to crisis. Almost constantly, people were begging him for healing or for their needs to be met. When he wasn’t teaching or performing miracles, he was dealing with the Pharisees’ questions and their accusations.
Matthew 9 records one such busy day. On his way to heal a ruler’s daughter, he made time to heal an ill woman and then met a crowd full of expectations at the ruler’s house. They told him he was too late, and the girl was dead. I love Jesus’ response.
He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
Did you catch what he told them? “Make room.” The mourners were pressing in from every side and He couldn’t even reach the ruler’s daughter. He had to disperse the crowd first, and then He healed her.
True, you may not have to deal with physical crowds, but you may deal with an overflowing inbox, social media notifications, and text strings longer than the Great Wall. Put those “crowds” outside so you can be alone with Jesus. You then make room to hear Him and watch Him work.
What distractions are pulling at you today, and how can you make room to listen for God’s voice in spite of them?
~ Kristen
