Hearing God in a Noisy World: What We Get Wrong

When I was growing up, there were two primary ways to communicate with loved ones who were far away: either make an expensive long-distance phone call or write a letter. That was it! We’re blessed to live in a day with so many more options. We can call, make a video call, send an email, text, use social media messaging, and more, all without incurring extra charges. I tell you what, though. I miss getting a handwritten letter. I still have a few of those that mean a lot to me.

Just as we have many ways to communicate with each other today, God also uses several methods to speak with us. We’ve focused on four: nature, people, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible—those last two are most significant. Recognizing these can help us hear God’s message more clearly.

Notice I didn’t include things like an audible voice from God or dreams and visions. God is certainly capable of doing anything he chooses. I’ve heard an audible voice once, or I thought it was, but no one else in the room heard it. And I’ve heard stories from the Muslim world, with its heavy emphasis on dreams and dream interpretation, about God calling people to himself through dreams. I’m not saying what God does or does not do. He’s God; he can do anything he chooses. These simply aren’t his primary methods of communicating with us today.

I also didn’t list circumstances. Does God speak to us through our circumstances? Of course. He certainly speaks to us through failure, success, disappointment, and pain. Circumstances, though, are so difficult to interpret. Something may happen that seems negative, and we think God is telling us not to go in that direction. He may not be telling us that at all; it could be that he’s allowed a challenge to come before us to make us stronger.

We’re always looking for a sign. “If this is what you want, God, give me a sign” is our great request. You hate your job, then one day you oversleep, so you decide God is telling you it’s time to quit. Is that true? Or did you just stay up too late and forget to set your alarm?

One guy was trying to decide whether to call his former girlfriend, with whom he had a toxic relationship. “God, just give me a sign!” So he turned on the radio, and it was playing “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” Well, there’s his answer: God is telling him not to call. And then the next song is “Call Me Maybe.”

None of this is how God operates. It’s always good to ask God if he’s trying to speak to you through what’s happening around you, and God often gives direction through the opening and closing of doors. It’s much easier, though, to look back over time at your circumstances and see how God has been working than it is to figure out what he’s doing right now.

Remember, God will never contradict Himself. He will never speak to us — even through our circumstances — in a way that will contradict His written word. The best way to think of circumstances is to understand that God’s primary means of giving direction is through the principles found in Scripture that we take and apply, with his wisdom, to the circumstances we’re facing.

God does speak to us. The real question is: If God is speaking, why do we sometimes struggle to hear him? Is there something in us that makes it difficult to listen?

The simple answer to that question is “yes.” We have a lot to unpack on this subject in future posts, but for now, here are some thoughts as to why we struggle to hear God:

Maybe we really don’t know God. Even for Christians, we don’t know God well enough to recognize how he operates. The more time you spend in his Word, the more familiar his ways become. The better you know God, the clearer his voice will be.

A poor self-image might be getting in the way. “Why would God want to speak to me?” is the question we ask. We carry false guilt and feel unworthy. But that’s a lie. If God has forgiven you, that settles it. When he forgives, he forgives completely. If you’re a Christian, you are not unworthy. You are known and loved and treasured by your Father.

Busyness might be an issue for you. It’s easy to be too busy to hear the still, small voice of God. If we never slow down, we won’t recognize God’s voice speaking to us.

Sometimes we don’t really want to hear what God has to say. We want guidance — but only if it agrees with our wants. God will work with our weaknesses and fears, sure. Open rebellion to God, though, often closes our ears.

The good news is, none of these obstacles is permanent. You can grow to know God more and more. You can accept the truth of his forgiveness. You can slow down. You can surrender. Are you ready to do those things?

God is still speaking. Are you ready to hear?