Have you ever had the profound experience of hearing God speak to you? Or maybe, instead of an audible voice, it was more subtle. A feeling in your heart, a certainty of what you’re supposed to do next. The sensation of peace.
If not, you might be wondering, why can’t I hear God? Is something wrong with me?
What does it mean when God seems silent? Before we talk about how to hear God’s voice, let me share with you a personal experience.
Hey, I’m Lauren, author of YA Christian fiction and blogger for teens with higher aim.
In This Article
Discerning the Voice of God: My Story
Years ago, my husband received a job offer far from our current locale. We’d prayed for years for relief from the frustrations of his current position, so it might sound like a no-brainer. But we had children to consider, a newly remodeled home, and we were well-rooted in our current church family.
It was not an easy decision.
So we prayed. And we prayed some more. I prayed when I washed dishes, and when I washed clothes, and when I lay in bed at night.
Some of you would like me to end this story by saying it finally happened: I heard a voice telling me exactly what we should do. Or experienced a dream that showed my family living in a nice home on a Christmas tree farm (which is where we eventually landed). Or at least experienced God’s peace after making a decision.
I had none of that.
Lots of people in history had the privilege of hearing God’s voice loud and clear. God told Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree. He told Noah to “Make yourself an ark” in Genesis 6. And Moses had conversations with God all the time.
So why can’t we hear God’s voice? Does he not talk to you and me like that, or are we simply hard of hearing?
With nowhere else to turn, we grudgingly dig out our Bibles for answers.
What to Do When God Seems Silent
The Bible contains 66 books. The NIV edition my husband uses (a basic edition with no additional commentary) contains 695 pages. According to the Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance, the word “and” appears 29,600 times in the Bible and the word “the” 55,728 times. That’s a lot of words!
And every single one comes from God.
We can literally carry God’s Word everywhere we go
Are you following me?
God doesn’t appear to us today the way he did in the past because we have his Word, bound and printed in over 600 languages. If you lose yours, you can head over to Walmart and buy another for as little as ten bucks, plus a nice zippered cover with an adjustable strap that allows you to carry it anywhere.
We can literally carry God’s Word everywhere we go, and we grumble because God doesn’t “speak” to us?
An AI Chatbot Trained on the Bible?
In my YA novel Edges & Other Hard Things, Rhapsodie repeatedly has conversations with Jesus during which it might sound like Jesus replies with audible words. But consider this exchange from the book:
Sage: “You talk to Jesus a lot.”
Rhapsodie: “We’re best buds.”
Sage: “Do you actually hear him?”
Rhapsodie: “Kind of. I mean, I don’t hear hear a voice. It’s more like my heart puts to words what I know God would say if he spoke out loud, based on what I’ve learned from the Bible and church. Like God is speaking to my heart, but it’s not the same as following my heart.”
Sage: “Your heart is like an AI chatbot trained on the Bible.”
Rhapsodie: “Actually, that’s . . . not a bad analogy.”
What about you? Is your heart an “AI chatbot trained on the Bible”? Maybe it’s time to make it be so.
Struggling to Hear God’s Voice? Look in the Bible!
God wants you to study His words in earnest. Plenty of other voices compete for your attention but the one you need to hear most is right in front of your eyes, shouting at you with spectacular silence. The deeper you dig into Scripture and the more time you spend in earnest prayer, the better you will get at hearing the voice of God inside you. And what an awesome experience that is!
“The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you.”
2 Chronicles 15:2
Brian and I sought him when we wrestled with our decision. We prayed for wisdom and for the Holy Spirit’s guiding. We read in the Bible about His provision for us. We looked at the practical aspects of making such a move.
And then we went for it.
There was no immediate feeling of peace after we made our decision. (Yeah, sometimes that doesn’t happen either.) But eventually—after we scrambled to move and ended up on a Christmas tree farm—we realized God had indeed guided our ways.
How to Hear God’s Voice: 4 Sound Practices
If you’ve ever tried to talk to a friend at a rock concert, you know what noise does to conversation. We live in a time of unparalleled noise: buzzing devices, television, video games, radios, podcasts, tweets, texts, news feeds where you can scroll for days . . .
All these distractions prevent you from hearing the one input you truly need. Let’s look at some lifestyle practices that will help you turn down the volume on life so you can hear God’s voice more clearly.
1) Back Off on Social Media
Social media is one of those noises. It distracts, addicts, confuses, and worries. You can’t focus on what God is saying to you when you’re swamped by an endless newsfeed of items that may or may not be true and good.
The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:23, “‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive.” Had he lived during our time, he might’ve been speaking about social media. Is the cost worth the luxury?
If you’re struggling to hear God’s voice, limit your social media perusal.
If you’re struggling to hear God’s voice, limit your social media perusal. Instead of reaching for your phone every time you’re standing in line at Starbucks, plan your social media fix to happen right before a set event in your day (like catching a bus that won’t wait for you). This forces you to stay within an allotted time.
Or, if you can swing it, drop social media altogether. It’s totally doable—and I guarantee your friends will keep you updated on any important news you might miss.
Articles to Help You Turn Down the Volume on Social Media
2) Put Your Device to Bed at Night
Did you get to choose your bedtime when you were little? Me neither. The time for that nightly event was likely chosen by your parents, and it probably arrived earlier than you wanted. Do yourself a favor and “parent” your phone. Choose a regular time to put it to bed. Turn it off and tuck it into its designated place—somewhere far enough from your own bed that its very presence cannot be a distraction.
(Give it its own blanket and pillow if that makes you feel better.)
Night, night, phone!
Articles to Help You Control Your Device Usage
3) Give Yourself the Silent Treatment
Silence is incredibly powerful in clearing your mind and letting God’s voice into your heart. (Though it can be a little scary at first if you’re not used to it.) Some ways to bring moments of silence into everyday life:
- Occasionally leave your phone and headphones behind when you workout. Music is a great motivator during exercise, but silence is more effective for deep concentration.
- Forgo the loud music when you need to concentrate on a big project. Live in a noisy house? Take your work to the public library. (Just don’t fall asleep in one of their comfy reading nooks.)
- Take time to regularly sit in silence. Watch the snow fall, the sun rise, the wind move the tree branches. So much peace can be found in simply stopping everything for a few minutes.
The more you practice silence, the more you’ll realize you won’t implode under it.
Afraid of Silence? Why Christian Teens Don’t Need to Be
4) Make your Bible Reading Time Truly Quiet. No, Really.
If you want to hear God’s voice, this one is non-negotiable. No devices, no radio—just you, your Bible, and God. This is why I prefer a physical Bible over a Bible app. You don’t have the distraction of your notification bell—and you can highlight, underline, and take all the notes you want.
When you’re finished, pause to reflect on what you’ve read. Give God the opportunity to whisper to you in that sliver of silence. Even Jesus spent time in solitude (Luke 5:16).
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
Psalm 46:10
You Can Hear God’s Voice Too
God speaks to us through His Word. Dedicate yourself to seeking Him in prayer and scripture. Trust that the Holy Spirit will guide every moment of your life. And if you do hear a voice, check it against His Word.
He won’t be offended if you do.
“Indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”
Proverbs 2:3-5
I promise you, God truly does speak to the hearts of those who listen. Turn down the volume of everything else so you can hear Him!
More Resources to Help Teens Draw Closer to God
You don’t have to have all the answers.
But, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
Seek the Lord, and he will be found by you! Check out 10+ Bible Passages for When God Seems Distant and Aloof.
Other helpful posts to help you hear God’s voice and discern his will:
Just thinking of you, Lauren; and then, I heard and saw your blog come in on my phone! Great topic! I used to think multitasking was good….Until I discovered, it really wasn’t! Sometimes, it can’t be helped. However, those quiet times of just God and his Word are such a blessing, having His peace and comfort as we focus on Him alone. I find it a healing time to renew strength and refuge in our Lord as he helps us navigate through all the many “noises” of life here which can distract. Enjoy your blogs so much, thank you!!
Marcia always says it best. ☺️ Great article, Lauren. Thank you both for your insight.
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