I would always get so frustrated whenever people would say that "God told me..." or "God led me to..." or "God showed me..." How on earth did they hear Him? Was it an actual voice or was it a feeling? Was it quiet or was it loud? And why couldn't I hear Him? What made me any different than those who could? Was I not Christian enough, or was I just not listening hard enough?

This is something that I have struggled with for a long time, and this is something that has been on my heart and mind this past year. For those of you who go to Bethel, you've probably heard of Pray First. For those who don't, Pray First is a prayer ministry on Bethel's campus. We pray for students in their dorms, staff and faculty in their offices, and anyone who needs it out in the hall during Sunday night Vespers. Pray First has been a huge blessing in my life this year. It has helped me grow in so many ways - more than I probably realize yet. Throughout the year, the topic of hearing God's voice was brought up over and over again. We talked about being still and listening for His voice, we discussed what it means to be in constant communication with God, and how that doesn't mean being in prayer 24/7, but how it means being open to hearing His voice. Those words have been used so often, they probably don't sound like anything revolutionary, but in my life they were. In our discussion, we sort of came to the 'conclusion' that God has always been speaking to us, and that He is speaking to everyone; we just have to figure out how to listen.

One Sunday, having had a busy week and Saturday beforehand, I was feeling too tired to go to church, so I stayed in my dorm and listened to a sermon. I was scrolling through the sermons from my grandparents' church in Nashville, TN, The Church at Antioch, when I came across a sermon called "Hearing the Voice of God" by Pastor Randy Patterson. It was exactly what I had been needing to hear, so I thought I would share it, in case it is something that you need to hear.

(Disclaimer: The following ideas are Pastor Randy Patterson's, but the comments are my own, as I am going off my minimalistic sermon notes.)

Pastor Randy started out by saying that although it feels like the only time people have ever tangibly heard God's voice was in the Bible, but that God is still speaking today! He is speaking to us in these four ways:

1. The Word of God

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

We have a whole book, well a series of 66 books, full of scripture that is "God-breathed"! Yes, the books were written by men, but whether you believe that God dictated each word, or that He instructed the writers on what to write, these books are the Word of God. They talk about everything, from sin, to our redemption, to how to pray, to waiting on Jesus' return, and everything in between. In the words of a friend, "It's nice to know that there are answers for everything." And I completely agree. It is so comforting knowing that I can turn to the Bible, and see God speaking to me through these amazing people of God.

2. The Holy Spirit

Romans 8:27 "And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." John 14:15-17 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you will know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."

When we accept Christ, we have the Holy Spirit in us to guide us. Now, this is the voice that seems harder to hear, but have you ever heard that "gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19:12) in the back of your mind? One that keeps nagging at you, prodding you towards or away from something? Some might call it your conscience. I believe that it is the Holy Spirit.

3. Through other people (in and outside the body of Christ)

2 Samuel 12:1, 11, 13-14 "The Lord sent Nathan to David... 'This is what the Lord says: 'Out of your household I am going to bring calamity on you'...The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."

Here the Lord sent Nathan to speak to David, after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and then sent her husband, Uriah, to the front lines of battle to ensure his death. It is not the most uplifting message from God, but it is one that David needed to hear. God can use people around us to speak to us. And it may not always be this blatant. Many times it can come in the form of advice, encouragement, or caution. Just make sure that you know that what this person is saying is in line with God's word. Pray about it a lot, read scripture, and listen to other people around you that you trust. These can help you decipher if the advice you are given is from God or not.

4. Circumstances (failure, success, disappointment, tragedy)

Romans 8:28-39 (Sorry, this is a long one.) "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God can speak to us through situations. He can use them to redirect our steps, or help us recognize our need for His strength, or He can use them to encourage us, and draw us closer to Him. Whatever the case, God nows His plans for us. He knows how our lives work out in the grand scheme of things, so searching for His voice in each circumstance can help us to hear Him (even if sometimes we don't recognize it until weeks, months, or years later).

I believe that God is constantly speaking to us. He wants to talk to us just as much as He wants us to talk to Him. His voice may not always be easy to discern, but it is there. And I think that He speaks to each of us in different ways. It may just take a little time to figure it out, and to learn how to hear Him. I encourage you to pray about it, read your Bible, and start up this conversation with people around you. You never know, God could use them to speak to you.