It’s Not Mystical, It’s Relational
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)
Many people believe that hearing God is reserved for prophets, pastors, or especially “spiritual” believers. For a long time, hearing God was presented as something mysterious, something that required special techniques, dramatic encounters, or absolute certainty.
But the truth is much simpler. God speaks to all His children.
The problem is not that God is silent. The problem is that many of us don’t recognise His voice, we expect it to sound different from how He actually speaks to us because we’ve heard “impressive” stories of how He has spoken to other people.
Hearing God Begins With Relationship, Not Ritual
One thing I often remind people is this:
Prayer is not a ritual; it’s a conversation with your Father.
When we demystify prayer, we begin to hear God more clearly. You don’t need special words, a particular posture, or spiritual performance. You need openness and honesty.
Sometimes my prayers are as simple as:
- “Father, what do You think about this?”
- “Lord, help me see this the way You do.”
- “Holy Spirit, guide my words right now.”
- “Father, how do You want me to respond to this person?”
The more you involve God in the small, ordinary moments of life, the easier it becomes to recognise His voice in bigger decisions.
How God Speaks Is Personal
One of the passages that has helped me understand how God speaks to us is 1 Kings 19, the story of Elijah after his great victory over the prophets of Baal. Elijah was afraid, exhausted, and overwhelmed. He ran, sat under a broom tree, and asked God to take his life. But instead of rebuking him, God fed him.
An angel touched Elijah and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And then said it again.
That moment taught me something profound: God gives us strength before He gives us direction.
All of us are on a journey that requires nourishment from God, a word that sustains us when life becomes heavy.
Later in that same chapter, Elijah encounters a strong wind, an earthquake, and a fire, but God was not in any of them. God spoke to him in a gentle whisper.
This taught me something vital: How God speaks is personal.
God spoke to Moses one way. He spoke to Elijah another. And He speaks to each of us uniquely. Hearing God isn’t about chasing dramatic experiences; it’s about learning how He speaks to you.
Elijah recognised God’s voice because he knew it.
God Speaks First and Clearly Through His Word
The Bible is God’s primary voice.
“The word of God is living and active.” (Hebrews 4:12)
Have you ever read a verse you’ve known for years, and suddenly it feels personal, like it’s speaking directly into your situation? That’s not coincidence. That’s God highlighting something for you. For me, Scripture has often been bread for the journey.
I was raised in a Christian home. Scripture was familiar. But there came a season when everything fell apart. I was far from home, in another country, and deeply broken. I felt blocked, like I couldn’t hear God at all.
I watched others receive words, confirmations, testimonies, and I felt nothing. Just silence!
But one thing remained steady: the Word of God. So I returned to Scripture, not looking for feelings, but for truth.
One day, while scrolling through scripture, these words leapt out at me:
“You shall no more be termed Forsaken… but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her.” (Isaiah 62:4)
At the time, I was struggling with identity and relationships. I felt unseen. And I remember thinking, “You can’t just take scripture like this and say God is speaking to you.” And yet, something was imprinted on my heart.
God was redefining how I saw myself. I began to see myself as someone God delights in. The physical fulfilment of what was promised to me on that day came years later, but the identity shift happened immediately.
Later in Isaiah 62, God speaks about setting watchmen on the walls, people who pray, intercede, and stand with us.
“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day or night. You who remind the Lord, do not keep silent; give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a glory in the earth.” (Isaiah 62:6-7)
At that time, I also felt alone, but as I read this scripture, I felt God was quietly surrounding me with people who would pray for me without needing anything in return. People who would stand with me in the unseen. I still walk that journey today, often praying for others more than for myself, yet living in peace because I know I am being covered.
For me, Isaiah 62 has been: “my bread for the journey.” I return to it whenever I feel tired, discouraged, or overwhelmed.
This word fed me for years and it continues to.
Learning to Trust God’s Voice
For a long time, I thought hearing God had to be dramatic. I assumed that if God was speaking, I would know instantly and with absolute certainty. But that hasn’t been my experience.
I am not naturally sure. I walk by faith, often uncertain, learning to trust God step by step. I remember standing up to speak one Sunday morning, nervous, aware that when we believe God is speaking, we are rarely 100% certain. Faith doesn’t remove the feeling of uncertainty; it teaches us how to trust God and speak or do what needs to be done.
What gave me courage that day was confirmation. What I sensed God was saying had already been affirmed through prayer and conversation. Over time, I learned this truth:
God’s voice becomes clearer through relationship, not pressure. As I responded in small ways, clarity increased. As I obeyed gently, confidence grew. As I stopped striving for certainty, peace settled in.
God Speaks Through His Spirit in us, Gently
The Holy Spirit lives in us. He usually doesn’t shout; He whispers.
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit.” (Romans 8:16)
God’s voice often comes as:
- A quiet nudge or desire
- A sense of peace or discomfort
- A thought aligned with Scripture
- A gentle pause before acting
If a voice rushes you, pressures you, shames you, or condemns you, that is not God.
“…He who believes shall not make haste.” (Isaiah 28:16)
God leads; He does not force.
Obedience Before Understanding: Hearing God as a Lifestyle
Over time, I stopped treating hearing God as a special event and began seeing it as a daily relationship.
- I talk to God throughout my day about anything and everything.
- I pause before reacting.
- I ask instead of assuming.
God doesn’t always speak audibly. Often, He leads us through desires and impressions, no visions, no voices, just a quiet nudge. You just obey these prompts before you even understand what they mean or where they are leading. That’s how I ended up in places I never planned, leaving a stable teaching job in Zimbabwe, an unexpected detour in the UAE, returning home with peace instead of disappointment, and eventually moving to the UK.
I often hold my dreams with an open hands and saying,
“Lord, if this is not what You want, take it away.”
That’s a scary place to be, but it’s also a place of deep trust.
God redirected my paths, provided for me, opened doors I didn’t even know existed, and brought me where I needed to be, not rushed, not forced, but ordered.
Learning Discernment, Not Perfection
Even Samuel didn’t recognise God’s voice at first (1 Samuel 3). God repeated Himself patiently.
That gave me peace. I learned to ask:
- Does this align with Scripture?
- Does this bring peace, not confusion?
- Does this lead me toward love and truth?
- Does this glorify Jesus, not my ego?
God is not afraid of your questions. He is patient while you learn.
And when we miss it? Grace remains.
“He awakens my ear to listen as one being taught.” (Isaiah 50:4)
God is not training performers, He is raising sons and daughters.
A Prayer
Father, Thank You that You are not silent.
Thank You that You speak through Your Word, through gentle impressions, and through the desires You place within us.
Teach me to recognise Your voice in the ordinary moments of life.
Help me to trust You even when I am unsure, and to walk by faith, not by sight or feeling.
Feed me with Your Word when the journey feels long.
I choose to listen, to trust, and to follow.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen. ❤️
If you’ve ever felt like God doesn’t speak to you, you’re not alone. If you desire to learn how God speaks to you, or to grow in your identity in Christ, we would love to walk this journey with you. Reach out. Join the conversation. You don’t have to figure it out alone.
