I remember the first time I heard God’s voice. It was an answer to a super simple, so simple like “why would God care about this question?” I was frantically searching for my glasses, I don’t wear them in my pictures much but I’m pretty blind without them. So I’m searching high and low for them when I finally sat still and prayed to God to ask them where they were. I heard, in my head, a small still voice say “Robe.” I hardly ever wore my robe and never put my glasses in there and in that moment I realized I had done both. I think sometimes people think God’s voice is this super loud booming almost yelling voice to get our attention. After hearing His voice over the years I can say it’s the exact opposite. God isn’t attention seeking, He’s speaking all the time He’s just waiting for us to be in a position to listen. God speaks to me several different ways, directly and through people. His direct voice sometimes comes in that original still voice and sometimes He sounds like me, like not my voice but the way I talk, the phrases I use etc. The still voice comes when I’m worried or when I’m worshipping, the voice that sounds like me is usually when I’m doing something I’m not supposed to. For example while I was worshipping at church singing “Transfiguration” by Hillsong Worship. They have a line in the chorus “As I behold Your beauty with unworthy eyes.” I began to think of God’s most beautiful creation that I had ever seen, the Grand Canyon. Tears were streaming down my face just thinking of the majesty, the beauty and time it took for God’s handiwork to be revealed. A small still voice said “I will make you more beautiful than that.” I began to just weep uncontrollably. Back then my self-esteem wasn’t anywhere near where it is now and it’s still a work in progress so to think that I would think of myself as more beautiful than the Grand Canyon was beyond me. Also to know that God was still working on me, He still is. I’ve also shared in the last few posts about my dating life or lack there of. Well in that God has spoken to me every time I’ve tried online dating mainly because He has already said my husband isn’t online. But every year, minus this one, I’ve tried online dating and every time I go to download an app I hear God say “Ma’am, I told you he’s not on there.” If you don’t know me or my tone by now, that’s exactly what I’d say if I was talking to someone else. But it gets my attention when necessary, He’s still not yelling but if God were a black woman I see an eyeroll attached to that phrase. But either way He speaks to me I’m open to hearing Him and now can distinguish my voice and His.
The second way I’ve heard from God is Him speaking through people. When I was feeling like God wanted me to move to NY I was super on the fence about it. He asked “You trust Me to get you jobs in LA, do you trust me enough to get you jobs in NY?” Initially I didn’t have that much trust. Several days later, I got a random text from a friend, kinda along the lines of “Trust in where He’s leading you.” Super random, out of the blue and my friend had no clue what was going on. To top it off I think everyone knew I was moving to New York except me. My roommate, my dad and almost everyone I met while visiting New York asked me about moving. I think God speaks to us through other people when we aren’t in posture to receive it from Him, the message is better delivered in person or it needs to be reiterated . I’ve been in all three situations.
As I take my faith and relationship with God more seriously, I’m developing discernment of what is from God and what isn’t. It’s taken time, patience and less of me and more of Him to get to where I am today. I still have a ways to go but I’m glad I have God’s voice to guide me.
Photographer Lily Yang
Shirt H&M (Similar) | Pants H&M| Shoes Christian Siriano
*This post contains affiliate links
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials.”