As another year comes to a close and a new one begins, it’s a natural time to reflect on our spiritual journeys and set intentions for growth in the year ahead. In the last few years, I’ve felt a growing inclination to rely more on discerning God’s voice over a dependence on the wisdom of others. I’ve discovered that listening for God’s voice makes all the difference, cultivating an intimate friendship with God and a spirituality that arises from the remarkable reality of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling.
With so many great sermons, books, and podcasts at our fingertips, we can be easily distracted from the miracle of what has been made available to us as God’s children. Because of the reconciliation made possible by Christ, God’s desire is to commune with each of us—to speak to us and be spoken to. He yearns to bring encouragement, direction, healing, and purpose into our daily lives through the Holy Spirit. And what delight it brings our heavenly Father when we regularly create quiet spaces to listen to a voice that awakens the deepest parts of who we are.
“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
While sermons and books can provide helpful insight, they complement rather than replace listening to God. Tuning our ears to the Spirit opens the door to developing an authentic friendship with Jesus and walking closely with God. Consider a few important distinctions between listening to “godly” voices in your life versus listening primarily for God’s voice:
When our spiritual diet consists primarily upon the words of others, our souls lack that for which they were created—the fullness of God’s presence. We can unknowingly be formed by a counterfeit spirituality that assumes the spiritual maturity of another. Though insightful sermons and books may be encouraging and stimulating, over time, this dependency fosters hollow imitation without deepening our relationship with the living God. Despite the amazing Christian resources we have access to, we must remember the goal is to draw close to the Father and hear our Shepherd’s voice, leading us to still waters and new life.
Genuine spirituality flows from connection with God. It is nurtured by cultivating an attentive and discerning ear to the unique tone of God’s voice, which is not necessarily intuitive. Turning our focus from the spiritual insights of others to the whispers of God enables our souls to drink deeply from the wellspring of Life.
“I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…that I may know him…” (Philippians 3:8-10)
God invites us to deeper waters—to be still, listen, and cultivate lives that are responsive to His voice. He wants us to be confident in His love and provision through all of life’s vicissitudes.
God always speaks, whispering love into the depths of our being each moment. The question is: are we listening? Are we carving out time and creating space to listen for a healing voice that the world is desperate to hear? This is the mark of a maturing Christian—to know the voice of Christ and make Him known to the world through our thoughts, words, and actions.
At Goldenwood, we design all our programs and rhythms around this simple yet quintessential act of listening. In our recent email, we shared inspiring stories of lives transformed simply by carving out times to listen for ourselves and others. As one participant shared, “Listening has truly changed everything.”
The coming year presents an opportunity for all of us to build our lives around what matters most: hearing the voice of our God who is at work to redeem all things. In the hopes of helping you hear God’s voice, I’ve created a guided prayer and exercise to help you listen for what God desires to speak into your life as you start this new year. God’s invitation is always before us and He is quick to give to us the words of life.
As we enter a new year, may our priority be anchoring our inner lives upon the nurturing guidance of God’s voice, for it is this gentle guidance that illuminates our path with distinction, allowing us to walk confidently in His glorious fullness and redemptive purpose.