21 Days of Prayer ChallengeSample

Day 1: Why can't I hear God's voice?

From Pastor Zach Zehnder

Dallas Willard once said, "If God doesn't speak today, then the greatest disservice we could ever do to people is to tell them that they could have a personal relationship with God."

The voice of God can be a tricky subject. One of the most often asked questions that I have heard as a pastor is, "Why can't I hear God's voice?" I often wonder why we struggle to hear God's voice because I am confident that we have a God who speaks.

All throughout the Old Testament, we see God speaking. God speaks to Adam and Eve in the garden, calls Abraham to a new land in Genesis, meets Moses on the mountain, and comforts Elijah in the cave. He spoke to the prophets in numerous ways. God is so passionate about speaking to His children that He sent Jesus, literally called "The Word of God," to dwell in our midst. Even after Jesus ascended, He meets Paul on the Damascus Road and speaks to John in Revelation. God is a speaking God.

However, as crucial as hearing God's voice is, what is more important is being in a real relationship with Him. Brother Lawrence, who wrote the book, The Practice of the Presence of God, says, "There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God." Amazingly, God wants a relationship and to speak with us. God can use people, His Bible, and even His creation to speak to us.

The problem is not that God isn't speaking; the problem is that we aren't hearing.

Why, then, do we struggle to hear God's voice?

We have a connection problem.

First, we are disconnected from God. Many of us talk about being in a relationship with God, but are you consistently and habitually putting yourself in a place to hear God? Do you want to know the surefire way in which God will speak to you? The Bible is God's Word to you and to me.

Second, we are too connected to the world. We only have so much capacity for what we can let in, and too many of us prioritize the created things of this world more than we do the Creator. To hear God's voice, you have to turn down the world's volume.

God can speak to anyone at any time. Still, generally speaking, Dallas Willard says, "God will not compete for our attention. Occasionally a Saul gets knocked to the ground and so on, but we should expect that in most cases God will not run over us."

Instead, God comes to us kind, gently, and frequently, through a still, small whisper. He still speaks to us today. Can you hear Him?

Day 1 Challenge: Sit quietly and alone in a room for five minutes. Ask God to speak to you during these 21 days. Use the prayer prompt below if needed. In addition, invite your friends to walk alongside you during the 21 Days of Prayer Challenge.

Prayer Prompt: For spiritual growth in the year ahead and for clarity on who to invite to do this Bible Reading Plan with you