God’s Subtle Voice | How Do You Hear Him?

How Do You Hear God’s Subtle Voice?

God’s subtle voice can get lost in the craziness of my day. As a middle school teacher, my life gets pretty noisy sometimes. Classrooms full of 10 and 11 year olds contain loud, excited voices. I’ve learned in my 24 years of teaching that if I raise my voice to talk over them or to try to get them quiet, they just get louder, too.

John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;

I didn’t know that in the early years, and I spent a lot of time frustrated and upset with the kids.

Soon, I learned that if rather than yelling, I stand in front of them and talk in a normal voice, it doesn’t take long before they quiet themselves in order to hear me. This subtle approach causes them to pay attention. It makes them realize they need to be still and listen in order to understand my directions.

God is subtle like this, too. We ask for His BIG voice, but His big voice is rare. He speaks to us steadily and quietly. We just forget to still ourselves so that we can hear and follow Him. If we get caught up in the loud, chaotic world, we can easily miss what He wants us to know. Even if He shouted, we wouldn’t hear unless we intentionally focus on Him. Just like with how my students respond to my raised voice by getting louder themselves, we would probably do the same to God. And so to hear Him, slow down, be still, listen. This is how we can hear God’s subtle voice.

Related Posts (to help with ways to hear His voice):

Only the Next Step (when you’re feeling overwhelmed)

In Peace I Trust

7 Tips for Your Intentional Relationship with Christ

Today’s Prayer: Lord, speak to me. I will still myself so that I can hear your subtle voice, follow your direction, and show you that I’m yours. Amen.

Personal Challenge: List all the ways you hear God’s subtle voice.