21 Days of Prayer - PersevereSample

When You Want to Hear God’s Voice

Have you ever been desperate to hear God’s voice? While you may not have been expecting to hear the audible voice of God, you desired to receive direction, insight, or understanding from Him.

In 1 Samuel 3, we read about a boy growing up in the temple under the direction of a priest, Eli. This chapter begins by saying that “word from the Lord was rare in those days” and “visions were infrequent” (1 Samuel 3:1). People weren’t hearing from God. One night, however, the Lord speaks to Samuel. He calls him by name, and because Samuel had never heard from the Lord, he thought Eli was trying to get his attention! After going to Eli three times, thinking he called him, Eli finally told Samuel that if he heard the voice again, say, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9).

God spoke to Samuel again, and Samuel responded as he was instructed. Then, God downloaded to him a plan that He was putting into play, and from that point forward, God continued to speak to Samuel, and he became a prophet of the Lord.

We may not all hear the audible voice of God saying our names, but what I love about this story is that Samuel continued to respond to the calling of God, even when he didn’t know it was Him. When Samuel heard the voice the first time and Eli said it wasn’t him, he could have easily ignored the second call. Still, Samuel responded, and the fourth time God spoke to him, he knew it was the Lord.

If you desire to hear God’s voice, I encourage you to seek Him today and then respond to what He says. Again, you may not hear an audible voice, but hearing from God can look like many things, including finding a Scripture that fits your situation or receiving godly and timely insight from a friend.

At the end of the day, if we don’t know God’s Word, we won’t know God’s voice. God will never say anything that doesn’t align with what He’s already said in the Bible. To hear from God, keep persevering by reading Scripture, staying connected to community, and praying. Then, when you hear from God, be open and available to listen to what He has to say and act accordingly.

Emily N. Green

Prayer Point: In what area do you need to hear God’s voice? Pray that He will speak to you loud and clear today, and listen for what He has to say.