How to Hear God’s Voice

“How to hear God’s voice”. It sounds so presumptuous, doesn’t it? Why do some people say “God told me this” or “God told me to do that”?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways–oracle of the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” -Isaiah 55:8-9

God is God, and we are not. God is Lord of Heaven and Earth, and we are only his humble little creatures. How can we presume to know what God is speaking to us?

Actually we can, in a very easy, foolproof way. Read the Bible! The scriptures are “The Word of God”, so if we read them, we hear His voice. Plain and simple. That is why I like to use lectio divina for mental prayer. Because in my relational conversation with God, if I read the Bible, I know I am listening to His words to me, not just making up what He might be telling me.

Now, of course, our interpretation of the Word of God can be flawed, and that’s where a few key aids can come in handy.

1. Ongoing study of the Bible. Join a Bible study, such as The Great Adventure study by Jeff Cavins, or Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz. Read a commentary on the scriptures, little by little, such as the Catena Aurea or other commentaries by St. Thomas Aquinas.
2. Learn the Catechism. Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and refer to it when questions arise. This will prevent you from going off the deep end with an incorrect understanding of Scripture that could lead you away from what the church actually teaches.
3. Spiritual Direction. A spiritual director can guide us through what we are experiencing in prayer. They can help us discern between the voices of the Holy Spirit, the evil one, and our own mind. A priest, religious person, or trained layperson can be a wonderful guide to ensure that we are not ignorant, lying to ourselves, or being deceived. If you don’t have the opportunity for formal spiritual direction, you are not disadvantaged! Avail yourself to your spouse or a trusted, prayerful Christian friend who has your best interest in mind and is living their faith.

There is another way we can hear God’s voice, and it is very powerful. “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.” wrote Mother Theresa. And The famous Rule of St. Benedict opens with these words: “Listen carefully…and incline the ear of your heart.” It is very possible to hear God speaking to us personally in the depths of our soul where He dwells. In order to hear Him we must be in a state of grace so that He truly is present within our souls. We should be trying to follow His commandments and seeking forgiveness through Reconciliation when we need it. “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayers of the righteous.” -Proverbs 15:29. So when we get ourselves in right relationship with Him, He dwells within us and we may “hear” Him communicating with us if we cultivate an interior life and open the ears of our heart. For busy moms living in noisy households, it is helpful to remember that you can always have interior stillness and peace even when there is chaos and noise in your exterior environment.

Jesus is waiting within our heart to commune lovingly with us. We can push him out with mortal sin. We can ignore Him there and allow ourselves to go through life distracted by busyness, phones, or worldly anxieties.

If we want to hear Him, we must be in right relationship with Him, invite Him into our souls, open the ears of our heart, and minimize outside voices such as social media, popular culture, idle entertainment, and negative friend influences. We can open the Scriptures and know for certain that we are hearing His Word.

When you read His Word, here are 3 questions to ask that will help you enter into the Scripture and pray in such a way that you can hear God speaking personally and particularly to you in the present moment:

1. Read the passage slowly What is the text saying?
2. Read it again What is it saying to me? Write anything you “hear” in your journal if that’s helpful.
3. How should I respond? Speak from your heart then rest in Him and receive anything He communicates back to you. Is there some small action or change He is asking of you or some knowledge He wants to impart?

Now you can know for certain that when you open the Bible, and open the ears of your heart, you are truly hearing God speak to you.