Recently, a friend ask how I knew it was God speaking to me in a certain situation. I thought it might be useful for others and have posted an edited version here.
Knowing God’s voice is something that has taken me quite a long time and remains something I am not very good at. Two things have helped: knowing that everything happens for a reason and faith.
The first does not refer to some type of abstract cerebral knowing; this is the knowing of experience that comes with hindsight. I have seen the puzzle pieces come together months and even years later. There are other situations that I still don’t understand but I chalk it up to not been able to see enough of the overall picture.
Although faith could appear to be the same as “everything for a reason”, I see it a little differently. “Everything for a reason” focuses on the outcome, whether it be desirable or undesirable, and how to reconcile this outcome into my worldview. Desirableness (rather than good or bad) is a condition of my perspective, understanding and selfishness.
Faith itself has more to do with process than endpoint — a verb rather than a noun. Words like assurance and trust might bring you closer to my intent. Essentially, that I set out on a path and rely on God to meet a need. I will share an example. When I was trying to figure out what to in university, I came upon two options: become a pharmacist or teach English francophone Canada. They both seemed equally interesting, so I prepared, applied and awaited the outcome. I did as much as I could on my own first, then told God that I would trust Him to provide direction; whichever opportunity I was accepted into first would be where I would go. For whatever reason, let’s call it faith, I assumed that both paths would be open to me. I was put on a waiting list to teach English. Then, a month or so later, I got my acceptance letter into pharmacy one evening. The next morning was a phone call with an opening to teach English. Pharmacy came first, so that’s what I did — trusting it was divine orchestration.
There are a few things that I think can help in knowing God’s voice is His.
1) Bible reading. I am horribly inconsistent with this. However, in the last few months, it has been slightly more regular. The point here is that I need to understand who God actually is. What is His character? How does He normally act? Can people change His “mind”? What is His desired outcome for you, the situation, and all of creation?
2) Prayer (and revelation). I am only slightly more consistent with this. I view prayer as a conversation. Sure, I think God can speak to me through other means (God reveals himself in nature, through other people, in Biblical texts, in dreams and visions, through circumstance). Prayer, as a basic form of communication, seems a logical forum if you anticipate it to go two ways. Often prayer time can be mostly me talking and not much of me listening.
3) Understanding God’s calling. This is partly related to spiritual gifts but also interests, passions, and trades/skills. Buechner says “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
4) Other Christians. Essentially this is discernment, an outside set of eyes on your situation. If there is doubt about whose voice it is (God’s, yours, other), then someone else should be approached for their insight or interpretation. Chances are, they are going to use the points I have already discussed: does the purported statement from God align with His character and purposes?
Read the rest of this entry »
