"Is that You, God?": Learning to Hear His Voice

The voice of God. This has been one of the most requested topics for me to write about—and honestly, it’s something I’m incredibly passionate about. Hearing God’s voice has deeply shaped my walk with Him, and I know how many people long to grow in this area.

Have you ever wondered if God speaks to you? Maybe you’ve asked Him a question in prayer and then sat in silence, unsure if what you felt or heard was really Him—or just your own thoughts. Maybe you’ve felt so far from God that you’ve believed He doesn’t want to speak to you at all. One of the most life-changing truths I’ve learned is this: God is eager to speak to us, and hearing Him is not as hard as we often make it out to be.

God Wants to Speak to You

God doesn’t play hide-and-seek with His voice. He’s not trying to be mysterious or unreachable. He’s a Father—and good fathers love to talk to their children. John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Jesus didn’t say, “My pastors hear My voice” or “The spiritually elite hear My voice.” He said, “My sheep.” That includes you and me.

From the beginning, God created us for relationship with Him. And in any healthy relationship, communication is essential. He longs to walk with us, guide us, comfort us, and speak truth into our hearts. He’s not holding back. Most of the time, we just need to slow down and learn to recognize what His voice actually sounds like.

Spend Time with God Daily

One of the biggest ways I’ve grown in hearing Him is by spending intentional time with Him every single day. As believers, it’s not just helpful—it’s essential to spend time with Him daily. It becomes so much easier to hear His voice when you’re consistently with Him. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” because we were never meant to live off of yesterday’s word. Just like our bodies need food each day, our spirits need fresh time in His presence. I journal what I feel He’s saying, or I simply sit and listen. I take time to read Scripture and let His Word guide my thoughts. I worship Him and thank Him for who He is. I share with Him what is on my heart. But it doesn’t stop there. I talk to God all throughout the day—while driving, walking into meetings, processing emotions, or doing everyday things like dishes or grocery shopping. He doesn’t only want our “quiet time”—He wants to walk with us through all of it. The more I talk to Him, the more I recognize His voice.

There’s not a “right” or “wrong” way to spend time with God. There’s no formula. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s presence. Just go be with Him. Let go of the pressure to perform or follow a specific routine. The beauty here is that He designed us all uniquely, and He knows how to meet with each of us in a way that feels personal. Some advice that I wish I had known earlier in my walk with Jesus is: Don’t compare the way you spend time with God to someone else. What connects one person to His presence may look completely different for another—and that’s the point. Spending time with Him might look like walking, journaling, dancing, being in nature, singing, painting, or simply sitting in silence with Him. However He’s wired you—lean into that. Take time to discover the ways you connect with Him most naturally, and trust that He’ll show you. He’s not looking for performance; He’s looking for your heart.

The Bible: God's Voice in Written Form

If you’re ever unsure whether you’re hearing God, go to the Word. The Bible is His voice in written form—steady, alive, and unwavering. It reveals who He is, how He speaks, and what His heart sounds like. The more time you spend in Scripture, the more clearly you’ll begin to understand what His voice sounds like. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active…” That means the same God who spoke those words thousands of years ago is still speaking through them today. There have been so many moments when I’ve opened my Bible and a verse practically leapt off the page—exactly what I needed, right when I needed it. That’s God. Spending time in Scripture trains your spiritual ears. It gives you a foundation. It helps you filter other voices and emotions so you can better recognize His.

What Does God's Voice Sound Like?

Many years ago, I learned a revelation that completely changed my life: because the Holy Spirit lives inside of us, God speaks to us spirit to spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit speaks to our spirit, and our spirit makes known to us what God is saying. That means it may sound like your own voice in your thoughts—but it carries a wisdom, clarity, or love that doesn’t come from you. I often ask myself, “Does this reflect the character of God? Does it align with Scripture?” That helps me recognize when it’s Him.

This is very important: His voice will never sound condemning. God will never shame you, belittle you, or make you feel unworthy. Even when He brings correction, it’s full of love and draws you closer, not further away. His voice always carries grace, gentleness, and truth. When you hear thoughts that bring fear, shame, or accusation, that is a tactic of the enemy to confuse you and distort how you see God.

If you’re wondering about the difference between your voice and God’s, here’s a tip: Our own voice often comes from a place of insecurity, control, or desire. It tends to sound rushed, anxious, or centered on what we want in the moment. That’s why staying connected to Him daily is so important—so we can better recognize when it’s us talking, and when it’s actually Him.

When I first began to pursue hearing God’s voice, I thought it would be loud or dramatic. But most of the time, it’s gentle. It’s that soft whisper, a thought that carries peace or a nudge in your spirit. It's that deep conviction that draws you closer, not further away. Other times, it’s a verse that comes to mind at just the right time.

You Have Spiritual Ears

If you’ve ever heard the voice of fear, shame, anxiety, or discouragement—then you’ve already proven that you have spiritual ears. The enemy doesn’t speak audibly, yet we still recognize his voice in our thoughts. That means you’re capable of hearing in the spirit. And if you can hear the enemy, you can absolutely hear God. God's voice may not always come with the same volume, but it carries authority, peace, and truth. The same spiritual sensitivity that makes you aware of lies is the same sensitivity that allows you to receive truth. You were never meant to go through life confused or unsure if God is speaking. You were created to know His voice—and He’s always ready to speak.

Something to watch for: often, right after God speaks, the enemy will try to twist it with doubt. That’s exactly what he did in the garden when he said to Eve, “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1). He still does the same thing today. You might hear thoughts like, “That was just your own thought,” or “God wouldn’t say that to you.” Push through the doubt! Don’t let the enemy talk you out of what God just deposited in your spirit. His voice brings peace, clarity, and life. And the more you lean in, the more confident you’ll become in recognizing when He’s speaking.

Key Tip to Grow in Hearing God

Something else I’ve learned is the more we obey what we hear, the more clearly we will hear Him. Each small step of obedience sharpens our ability to hear Him next time. Obedience tunes our hearts like a radio dial—bringing His voice into greater focus.

Hearing God is for Everyone

There’s a common lie in the body of Christ that only spiritual leaders, pastors, or “super spiritual people” can hear from God—but that couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’ve given your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in you. And that means you have access to His voice. You don’t need a title, a platform, or a perfect track record. You just need a willing heart.

For a long time, I thought I needed someone more “spiritual” to tell me what God was saying. But the more time I spent with Him, the more I realized He wanted to speak directly to me. And He wants to speak to you, too.

Yes, God uses pastors and leaders. But He also wants His children—every single one of us—to know His voice personally.

He's Speaking More Than You Realize

Sometimes, we’re hearing God and just don’t realize it’s Him. That quiet thought to reach out to someone? That peace you felt when you were about to make a tough decision? That inner conviction when you said or did something you know deep down wasn’t right? That scripture that popped into your mind when you were discouraged? That was Him. He speaks in many ways—through Scripture, through impressions, through dreams, through peace, through people, through visions, through gentle correction, or unexpected encouragement. He’s not silent. He’s not distant. He’s speaking. We just need to learn to recognize it.

A Simple Prayer

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is that really God or just me?”—remember that you were created to know His voice.

Let's pray through this together:

“God, I want to hear You. Help me recognize when You’re speaking and not second-guess what I sense. Silence every voice that isn’t Yours. Make Your voice the loudest in my life. Teach me through Your Word and guide me in truth. Give me spiritual ears to hear You clearly and a heart that’s quick to respond. I don’t want to miss what You’re saying. I don't want to miss what You're doing. Help me, Lord, to lean in, listen well, and trust You deeply.”

He’s not hiding. He’s not far away. He’s a good Shepherd and He is always eager to speak to you. He desires for you to know His voice.

You can hear God! Once you realize how often He’s been speaking to you all along, it will shift the way you walk with Him forever. ❤️