Hello Reader,

Have you ever had God answer you and not realized it was Him?

When God Speaks, Do We Recognize It?

Samuel was a young boy the first time he heard God speak. He heard the voice clearly enough to respond. But he ran to the wrong person.

Three times God spoke, and three times Samuel went to Eli, certain the old priest had called him. Samuel as a boy could hear, yet he did not recognize the Speaker.

Even as a boy, Samuel loved God. He served in the temple and slept near the ark of God's presence every night. And still, when the Lord's voice came, he mistook it for his mentor/father figure.

Sometimes the Lord's voice does come to us through our mentors, pastors, fathers, mothers, or friends. Sometimes we are learning to recognize the Spirit behind what we hear.

Who Do We Run to First?

God does speak through people, but He wants us to come to Him before we run to others. We do the same thing Samuel did more often than we realize.

When we face troubles, we can worry over them until they steal our sleep. We can try to reason our way through with our own understanding. We can vent to a friend or post our frustrations on social media.

Or we can bring the whole matter to God first and ask Him to show us what to do.

God wants to be our first response.

He is already aware of the situation, already has the answer; He delights in sharing wisdom with His children.

James reminds us, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

He wants to give to us generously.

Recognizing God’s Solutions

Sometimes God gives us the answer directly, and we do not even realize it was Him.

He drops a solution into our mind so naturally that we almost take credit for it ourselves.

This week, I encountered a difficult situation. As I sat down to take a break a thought came to me on how to handle it. It was brilliant and worked all the sides out with one simple text message.

I was sharing with my sister and niece later, and they complimented me on my brilliance. I readily admitted I was not smart enough to handle it so brilliantly. I know where that idea came from.

My niece sent back a text, "All glory to God." And that is where the recognition and glory belongs!

Relationship With God Grows Over Time

Samuel's life is the proof of what that continuous relationship with God looks like over a lifetime.

Years later, he stood before a young man named Saul and spoke with precision and wisdom that could only come from years of relationship and practice hearing God’s voice.

He told Saul where his father's lost donkeys had been found. He described exactly whom Saul would meet on his way home, where the meeting would happen, and what those people would say and do.

The details were so specific that only a man with a trained ear could have delivered them.

Scripture tells us that as Samuel grew, the Lord was with him and "let none of his words fall to the ground" (1 Samuel 3:19).

That is something to think about. Samuel had become so closely attuned to God that his words carried an authority people recognized. They knew the Lord was with him.

All of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, recognized that Samuel walked in a genuine relationship with the living God.

The boy who once confused God's voice with the priest became a man whose words carried the authority of heaven.

This kind of transformation grew, season by season, little by little.

We Grow Through Practice

The God who called Samuel by name knows your name, too. He is near, and He still speaks to His children. You may not recognize His voice right away, and that is okay.

Samuel needed three attempts and a mentor's help before he learned to answer, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."

I know many of you are facing hard things right now. But you can start where you are, even if your prayer feels clumsy or your faith feels weak. Pray during your morning coffee.

Sit with Him for a few quiet minutes before bed. Bring the worry that kept you up last night and hand it to Him in plain words. He is waiting for you, just as you are.

Learn to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Each small step trains your ear and opens your heart.

The writer of Hebrews describes the mature believer as one "who because of practice" has "senses trained to discern good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14).

Growth is built into our ongoing relationship with our Lord, and every honest step forward is important.

Tested Faith Is More Precious Than Gold

So, wherever you are today, with whatever you are facing, know that the same God who grew a confused boy into a man of extraordinary clarity and power is patient enough and kind enough to grow you, too. He grows us into spiritual maturity little by little and step by step.

He will not rush you, and He will not leave you where you are. And the growth that comes through those hard and faithful seasons has a significance and beauty that God Himself treasures.

You don't have to become an expert at hearing God overnight. You simply have to become willing to listen.

“Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.”

That may be one of the most powerful prayers we can pray

I would love to hear from you. Hit reply and share a time God spoke to you when you least expected it, or send me a prayer request. I read every one.

With you on the journey,
Cynthia K. Johnson

If you want to go deeper into what God's voice sounds like and how to recognize it, these two website posts are a good place to start:

• What Does God's Voice Sound Like?​

• How to Hear God's Voice Clearly​