Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Devotion: Have you ever wondered if God can hear your prayers? You are crying out to Him, asking Him for guidance, asking Him to move in a way that only He can just to be met with silence? It’s in these moments that it can be easy to wonder if God is listening and if He is ever going to respond.
In those moments of uncertainty, we can be reassured that God still speaks to us today. While it is certainly possible that God may speak to some in an audible voice (He is God, after all), this is not one of the most common ways that God chooses to speak to us. But that doesn’t mean He doesn’t speak.
First, He speaks to us through His Word. We have the gift of the Bible, and in Hebrews 4:12, it says that it is the living Word. “For the word of God is alive and active.” It is inerrant, authoritative, and the ultimate source of truth. In reading it, we are hearing directly from the Lord.
God also speaks to us through prayer. We have the ability to directly communicate with Him by talking to Him. In this same sense, we can quiet ourselves and be still. This doesn’t have to be one way communication where we rattle off our laundry list of wants, needs, and desires. We can also use this as a time to sit before God and listen for His voice.
God sometimes uses our circumstances to speak to us, too. Nothing quite grabs our attention like being uncomfortable. He can use suffering and difficulties to teach us something.
In each of these methods, I am amazed that we have such a loving and personal God who chooses to speak to us. He has revealed Himself through His Word, given us the ability to come directly before Him in prayer, and is sovereign over every circumstance in our lives. He cares so deeply and wants us to know Him, and so He speaks. Now it’s up to us to listen.
Reflect:
- Do you take time to listen for what God is saying to you?
- How might you incorporate that throughout your day?
