One of the most valuable things to learn is how to hear God's voice in the wilderness season. Sometimes it may seem like God is silent in the wilderness. But this time is an opportunity to draw close to Jesus, and the closer you come the more you’ll start to hear him speak
When I say “hear”, I don’t mean a literal audible voice. Throughout the Bible there are example after example of how God’s spoken to his people in a variety of ways. From dreams and visions, to the words of others and scripture, God’s very creative in how he speaks.
What’s so cool is that God speaks to all of us differently, and part of this process is learning the unique ways he communicates with you.
There’s so much to say about learning how to hear God’s voice, but today I want to share a bit of my own journey and what’s helped me.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
A few years ago, a hunger started to grow in me to experience the kind of closeness with God I heard others describe. The way they talked about hearing God’s voice, feeling Jesus’s presence, and moving in the gifts of the Spirit were so intriguing.
What I was seeing and learning differed from the practices of Christian community I grew up in. The more I read the Bible, particularly the words of Jesus and how he asked his disciples to live, the deeper the tension built. My beliefs about the spiritual gifts and the Holy Spirit were rapidly changing and evolving.
I realized Jesus was inviting me into a new, mysterious adventure of learning to be led by his Spirit.
This was all so foreign to me, but I was eager to give it a try. Through lots of trial and error and help from others farther along in this journey, I started to be able to sense what God was speaking to me.
As you begin to discover the loving voice of God, you'll crave spending time with him to hear him more and more. Here are a few practical things that will help you hear God's voice in the wilderness season:
Make space to listen
Many of us long to hear God speak but the busyness and distractions of daily life can get in the way. He’s always speaking, but if we don’t intentionally listen we’ll miss what he has to say. Carve out a few minutes to be still and become aware of his voice. This helps you quiet your own thoughts so they aren’t drowning out the gentle whisper God likes to use with his kids.
Know what God sounds like
It’s hard to discern God’s voice when you’re not sure what he sounds like. Just like a close friend, you’ll become more familiar with his voice the more you spend time with him. Read the Bible to learn the kind of words and tone of God’s voice. Being around others who are close to God also helps too, as they can act like a sounding board to check what you sense you’re hearing.
Write down what God's saying
Keep track of what you think you’re hearing God say. When you’re starting out it’s helpful to write things down and let them sit as a way to test the words. It’s also super encouraging to look back on what God’s told you. You may start to see patterns or repeated phrases to pay attention to.
Learning to hear God’s voice is something I’m super passionate about because it’s transformed my faith. I found the wilderness season is a great place to practice listening more for his encouragement and wisdom. I plan to share more about it in the future.
If you're looking for a way to process your wilderness season experience, I created some free journal prompts to help you find clarity. Click here to download.
Photo by Jackson David.
