Hearing God Through the YearSample

Not out of the Blue

“Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.” 2 Timothy 2:7 (NIV) 

The voice of God is not itself any one of the three lights (impressions of the Spirit, passages from the Bible and circumstances) nor is it all of them together. But the inner teaching of the Spirit usually comes to us in conjunction with responsible study and meditation on the Bible, with experience of the various kinds of movements of the Spirit in our heart and with intelligent alertness to the circumstances that befall us.

Although there are exceptions, God’s directive voice does not usually come to us out of the blue. This means there are specific, concrete things that we can do as we seek to know the will of God. We do these things—reflecting on the three lights—and they turn out to be the factors in exercising responsible judgment. As we reflect on our circumstances, our impressions of the Spirit and passages we read in the Bible, we also listen for the divine voice.

MEDITATION: Read 2 Timothy 2:1-7. Before doing so, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Also, bring to mind any decision or upcoming event—large or small—and set it in the back of your mind. Enjoy interacting with God as you listen to Paul’s advice to Timothy.