DAY 2 DEVOTIONAL | How Does God Speak? The Many Ways We Often Miss His Voice

Yesterday, I believe all of us would have reassured ourselves that God indeed speaks. And we have specifically heard Him speaking to us in one way or another.

So we believe God speaks, yet many struggle to hear Him because we expect His voice to come in only one way or the way we expect to hear Him speaking to us. 

Scripture shows us that God often speaks in ways that require discernment rather than spectacle. A clear example of this is found in the life of the prophet Samuel.

1 Samuel 3:4–10 (KJV) says, “That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.”

Samuel heard God speaking, but he did not recognise the voice at first. This shows us that God can be speaking even when we do not yet know how to identify His voice. Recognition grows with instruction, attentiveness, and relationship, not volume or drama.

One of the clearest ways God speaks is through His Word.

Let’s go to Psalm 119:105 (KJV), which says,  “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

God does not always reveal the entire journey at once. Instead, He provides light for the next step. Many miss God’s guidance because they are waiting for full clarity when God is offering daily direction.

God also speaks through His Spirit, leading His people internally.

Romans 8:14 (KJV) “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

This leading is not forceful or confusing. It is consistent, aligned with Scripture, and grows clearer through relationship. 

God’s Spirit guides through peace, conviction, and wisdom rather than pressure or fear.

God may also speak through circumstances, confirmations, and godly counsel, but His voice will always agree with His Word and His character. Familiarity, not loudness, is what brings recognition. 

Just as we recognise the voice of someone we know well, spiritual hearing develops through time spent with God.

Hearing God clearly is not about trying harder; it is about becoming more attentive. God’s voice becomes clearer as we learn how He speaks and as we respond faithfully to what He has already revealed.

For those of us still learning or seeking, this truth is reassuring: God is not limited in how He reaches us. He speaks in ways that invite understanding, not confusion.

As we reflect today, consider this question: Am I limiting how God is allowed to speak to me? Simply put: are we reading The Bible enough?! 

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