Hearing God's Voice

Do you want to hear God’s voice?

As a Catholic Christian it is part of your inheritance to be able to hear the voice of God and receive His direction for your life.

Jesus said,” My sheep hear my voice!” (John 10:27)

Here are some principles to help you in hearing the voice of Jesus in your daily life.

Get quiet. Lose the distractions!

Just like radio and television waves, God’s voice is constantly communicating to His children and to you personally. God’s transmitter is always working. In order to hear Him, you need to set up your receiver for optimal results. Amidst the barrage of voices shouting out to you each day, you get to choose which ones will have your attention. Be single minded about pursuing the voice of God. Turn off the TV, computer, and iphone, and take time daily to listen to God. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

Pay attention to your thoughts and the disposition of your heart.

David cried out, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You …” ( Psalm 19:14)

Most often, God speaks to us through our thoughts. The scriptures exhort us to keep our minds focused on what is above so that the Holy Spirit can imbue them with the “mind of Christ”. Hearing God’s voice means that in prayer we open our hearts, minds and imaginations to the Holy Spirit who will speak to us. Saint Ignatius of Loyola gave us a tool for discerning the voice of God. In simplest form it says this: God’s voice is identified by two telltale signs: peace and joy. If what passes over our minds gives us these two fruits we can be assured that we are on the right track. However, if we experience things like anxiety, condemnation or sadness from a particular thought, we should abandon it (or seek a spiritual director for guidance). God wants our happiness. Jesus said,” I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) The presence and leading of the Holy Spirit is evidenced by peace, joy, and hope.

Cultivate Purposeful Encounters with Jesus through daily prayer and the sacramental Life.

Have you ever been in a noisy restaurant where you wanted to have a good conversation with someone you cared about? It’s frustrating! Imagine the frustration of God when He is trying to get to us in the midst of our frenetic lives! God wants to speak to us more than we want to hear Him. He waits for us to avail ourselves of His presence. How? We can choose a quiet place in the house and retreat to be with Him daily. While devotionals can be helpful, it is most important that we take time for heart to heart conversation with Him. We tell Him what is going on in our lives. Then we get quiet and LISTEN. With patience and practice we will hear His voice in our hearts. The sacramental life infuses us with grace and power to recognize God’s voice. Regular reception of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation helps to sanctify us, unclogging the channels so that we can hear more clearly the voice of the Lord.

Spend time with the Word of God.

Just as the character of a loved one is in those precious letters and email, the Word of God reveals the voice, personality and affections of God Himself. Time spent pondering the Word of God increases our personal intimacy and heart knowledge about The One We Love. As we ponder God’s Word, the Holy Spirit acts in our soul, revealing to us His secrets and giving us insights into our life’s journey and God’s plan for us. Find a translation of the scripture that is user-friendly. Open up to those books that resonate with you personally. But begin. Ask the Holy Spirit to communicate God’s life and peace through His Word. He will.

Seek God’s voice through others.

If you are on the cusp of making an important decision (choosing a job, college, living situation, vocation, etc) seeking out spiritual direction is wise. Guidance can come from your pastor, or from any mature and faithful Christian with whom you can share what is going on in your life. God will communicate to us through each other. When we are affirmed, encouraged, and challenged by those who know and love us, God can reveal and confirm His will and plan for us.

“He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself ... Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21)

Remember that God WANTS to make Himself known to you. He doesn’t want to send you on a wild goose chase. As you pursue Him honestly and diligently, you will hear His voice and be guided by His love.