Hearing God: The Still Small Voice

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU GOD!  BUT PLEASE SPEAK LOUDLY SO I CAN HEAR YOU!

We’ve all said it or thought it, but I would agree with Dallas Willard (“Hearing God”) on this when He says that God isn’t much in the business of speaking in LOUD, DRAMATIC ways.  Rather, He speaks most commonly through the Bible (the written Word) and Jesus (the living Word), and that He does so with the “still small voice” spoken of in 1 Kings 19:11-12.

The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NIV)

God speaks very, very clearly.  However, God typically speaks very, very quietly, in a voice diminished almost to the vanishing point.  Willard contents that this is the “preferred and most valuable form of individualized communication for God’s purposes”.  Again, think of it in terms of your human relationships.  Would you rather talk quietly with someone you are close with or come up with big, dramatic ways to get their attention?

Willard suggests that this “still small voice” is primarily heard in two ways:

First, God speaks to us through other people.  There are boundless examples of this in Scripture, as well as in modern experience.  It is not uncommon for me to recognize God’s “voice” in conversations with close friends that are walking closely with God.  They do not necessarily intend to speak for Him, and they may not consider themselves eloquent or particularly enlightened.  But God has spoken clearly through them in spite of their humble opinions of themselves…or perhaps because of those humble opinions.

Second, God speaks to us in our own spirits.  This comes in the form of “thoughts that are our thoughts, though these thoughts are not from us”.  As we grow in our relationship with Him, “we are able to use his knowledge of himself – made available to us in Christ and the Scriptures – to understand in some measure his thoughts and intentions toward us and to help us see his workings in our world”.  It is the essence of what Paul meant in Romans 12:2.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NLT)

Willard goes on to write that “as we grow in grace, God’s laws increasingly form the foundation of our hearts; his love is our love; his faith our faith.  Our very awareness of our actions, intentions and surrounding then bears within in it the view that God takes”.  Willard promises more direction on how to discern which of our thoughts are from God, but suggests this practical tip for now:  when thoughts recur, always stop prayerfully to consider whether the thoughts may be from Him.

In other words, when you just can’t stop thinking about a course of action, or specific person or a passage of Scripture…prayerfully consider whether He is trying to get your attention!  Don’t automatically push it aside and dismiss it.  Stop and consider whether it lines up with what you have been reading in the Word and with conversations with the people around you. 

I can tell with 100% assurance that God can and does speak to us this way.  His still small voice was a huge part of my call into ministry.  His still small voice is often how Michele and I have come to similar conclusions on God’s desire for our lives.  His still small voice often directs my phone calls and conversations.

God’s still small voice.  Expect it.  Listen for it.  Act on it.