Last week, I shared seven ways to begin to hear God’s voice. This week, I’d like to share 10 exercises you can use to grow in hearing God’s voice.
Many of us have heard God’s voice in the past, but it hasn’t become a daily experience in our lives. My hope is that by using these exercises to strengthen your listening muscles, you will be able to communicate with Him more frequently – not just when you need an answer to an important question.
Jesus came and died so that we could have right standing with the Father again (Galatians 2:21). Like any good father, God wants not just to know that we’re His children; He also wants to have a relationship with us – both us speaking to Him and Him speaking to us.
So without further ado, here are 10 ways to grow in hearing God’s voice.
1. Ask questions
Go to a public place – a park, shopping mall, or other area. Ask God questions such as, “Will a man or woman exit the store next? What color shirt will the next jogger be wearing? What model car will turn into the parking area next? Will the next person to turn the corner into the aisle have a shopping cart or be carrying groceries?” This is super fun to do with a friend as you both grow in hearing God’s voice.
2. Pursue Random Thoughts
Sit down with God and ask Him to speak random thoughts to you. Write down every single random thought that goes through your mind without judging any of it. After a set time (say, 5-10 minutes), pray over the random thoughts. What is God trying to say to you?
5. Journal with God
This is like a question-and-answer game. Write down a question and then ask it to God. (A good one to start with is, “God, what do you think about me?”) Then write down His response.
6. Imagine Christ
Some people find it useful to imagine that they are with Jesus, then ask Him a question. (See #5)
7. Ask God for dreams
This is a difficult one for me because, while I dream most nights, I don’t have a lot of divine dreams. But if God gives you a dream, seek Him about what it means. There are dream interpretation guides out there, but I’ve found that God has an imagination far beyond what these guides suggest.
8. Ask God to reinterpret a portion of Scripture to you
For those of us who have grown up reading and hearing the Bible frequently, we’ve become accustomed to certain interpretations of certain passages. Go to a popular portion of Scripture, reread it, and ask God what He is saying in it. (A good one to start with is Psalm 23.)
9. Ask God for something to pray over a friend or family member
Be careful to make sure you’re hearing what God is saying and not just interpreting what you see or want. But this is a fantastic way to agree with God for good things for the people you love.
10. Talk to God in your daily life – and expect answers
I find great joy in talking to and with God all day long. You might be surprised at the incites and interesting things you learn when you ask God about random things you’re experiencing!
