Life in today’s world is louder than ever before. The constant stream of news, social media, responsibilities, and personal struggles can feel overwhelming. Amid the noise, it can seem impossible to hear God’s voice. Many people ask, "Where is God in all this? Why can’t I hear Him?" It feels like God is distant, silent, or drowned out by the chaos surrounding us.
Yet, Psalm 46:10 offers us a simple yet profound truth: "Be still, and know that I am God." This verse reminds us that the key to hearing God’s voice is stillness. God’s voice doesn’t always come through a shout, but often through a whisper, a quiet prompting that we must be attuned to hear. His voice is always speaking, but to hear it, we must learn to still our hearts and minds in the middle of the chaos.
Today’s sermon is about unlocking God’s voice amidst the noise. We’ll explore how to quiet the distractions, how to position ourselves spiritually to hear Him, and how to recognize His voice when He speaks. God is speaking—right now, even in the midst of your busy life. Are you ready to hear Him?
1. God Speaks Through the Chaos, Not Around It
We often expect God to speak in moments of calm or when our lives feel perfectly ordered. But, more often than not, God speaks through the chaos, not around it. Think about the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19:11-13. Elijah was exhausted, afraid, and desperate for God to show up in a powerful way. There was a mighty wind, an earthquake, and a fire, but God wasn’t in any of those. Instead, God’s voice came to Elijah in a “still small voice.”
This story shows us that God’s voice isn’t always in the dramatic. Elijah had to move past the noise and look for the subtle, the quiet, the unexpected. The same is true for us today. In the chaos of life—whether it’s the demands of work, family pressures, or personal crises—God is speaking. But He often speaks in ways that require us to pause, to reflect, and to tune our ears to His gentle whisper.
One of the biggest challenges in hearing God’s voice is that we are often looking for Him to speak in grand, obvious ways. We want Him to show up in a miracle, a vision, or a booming voice. But if we only look for God in the dramatic, we’ll miss the ways He is speaking every day. Sometimes, His voice comes through a verse of Scripture that seems to jump off the page, a word of encouragement from a friend, or even a deep sense of peace in our hearts.
In the chaos of life, we need to be like Elijah—willing to move past the noise and tune in to the still, small voice of God. The chaos may not disappear, but in the midst of it, God’s voice can bring clarity, comfort, and direction. The question is: Are we listening?
2. Tuning Out the Distractions to Tune In to God
If we’re going to hear God’s voice, we need to learn how to tune out the distractions that surround us. We live in a world that constantly demands our attention. Our phones, social media, work, and personal commitments can easily drown out God’s voice if we let them. In Luke 5:16, we see how Jesus Himself dealt with the distractions and demands of life. The verse says, "And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed."
Jesus understood the importance of stepping away from the noise to connect with the Father. He intentionally created space for solitude and prayer. If Jesus, the Son of God, needed time away from distractions to hear the Father’s voice, how much more do we?
In our fast-paced culture, stillness is countercultural. It’s tempting to always be "on," to constantly be doing something or consuming information. But if we want to hear God’s voice, we have to make space for stillness. Psalm 46:10 doesn’t just tell us to "know" that God is God; it tells us to "be still" first. The stillness is the key to knowing.
One practical way to do this is by setting aside daily quiet time. Whether it’s in the morning before the day begins, during a lunch break, or before bed, we need to intentionally create time to sit in God’s presence without distractions. Turn off the phone, close the laptop, and just be still before God. Allow Him to speak into the silence.
But distractions aren’t always external. Often, the greatest distractions are internal—our worries, anxieties, fears, and doubts. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us to "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." When we bring our worries to God in prayer, He gives us peace, and in that peace, we can hear His voice more clearly.
3. Recognizing God's Voice in Everyday Moments
Many of us expect to hear God’s voice during big spiritual experiences—at church, during worship, or in moments of deep prayer. While God certainly speaks in those moments, He is also speaking to us in the everyday, ordinary moments of life. The challenge is recognizing His voice when it comes in unexpected ways.
In 1 Samuel 3, we read about young Samuel hearing God’s voice for the first time. God called out to Samuel in the middle of the night, but Samuel didn’t recognize it as God’s voice. He thought it was Eli, the priest, calling him. It wasn’t until the third time that Samuel realized it was the Lord speaking to him. Samuel almost missed God’s voice because it came in an unexpected moment.
How often do we miss God’s voice because we’re not expecting Him to speak in the ordinary? We might hear Him through a conversation with a friend, a moment of reflection during our commute, or even while doing household chores. God is not confined to church services or special prayer times—He speaks to us throughout our daily lives.
The key to recognizing God’s voice is staying spiritually attuned. Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." Sheep recognize the shepherd’s voice because they spend time with the shepherd. In the same way, we become more sensitive to God’s voice the more time we spend with Him. The more we read His Word, the more we pray, and the more we worship, the more attuned we become to His voice in everyday life.
God’s voice will always align with Scripture. One of the ways we can recognize His voice is by comparing what we hear with the truths found in the Bible. God will never speak something that contradicts His Word. As we grow in our knowledge of Scripture, we grow in our ability to recognize when God is speaking to us.
4. Trusting God's Voice When It Doesn't Make Sense
One of the reasons we sometimes struggle to hear God’s voice is that we don’t always trust what He says, especially when His guidance doesn’t make sense to us. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Sometimes, God’s voice will lead us in directions that don’t align with our own plans or understanding. It’s in those moments that we must choose to trust His wisdom over our own.
Think about the story of Peter walking on water in Matthew 14:28-31. Peter heard Jesus’ voice calling him to step out of the boat and walk on the water. It didn’t make sense—people don’t walk on water! But Peter trusted Jesus’ voice and stepped out in faith. It wasn’t until Peter took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the wind and waves that he began to sink. The lesson is clear: when we trust God’s voice, even when it doesn’t make sense, we experience the miraculous.
In our own lives, God may call us to step out in faith in ways that seem illogical. He may ask us to forgive someone who hurt us, to take a job that seems like a risk, or to let go of something we’ve been holding on to. In those moments, we have a choice: trust His voice or rely on our own understanding. Trusting God’s voice often means stepping into the unknown, but it’s in the unknown that we see God’s faithfulness in new and powerful ways.
But how do we know it’s God’s voice and not our own thoughts or fears leading us? This is where discernment comes in. As we’ve already discussed, God’s voice will always align with Scripture. But beyond that, His voice will also bring peace. Even if the path He calls us to is difficult, there will be a deep sense of peace that accompanies His guidance. Philippians 4:7 speaks of the peace that "passes all understanding." When we hear God’s voice, it will settle our hearts, even if it challenges us.
5. The Peace and Clarity That Comes from Hearing God’s Voice
When we take the time to listen to God’s voice and trust His leading, we experience a deep sense of peace and clarity, even in the midst of life’s chaos. Isaiah 30:21 promises us, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." God is faithful to guide us, even when we feel uncertain about the future.
There’s a peace that comes from knowing that God is in control, that He is directing our steps, and that we are walking in His will. This peace doesn’t come from the absence of problems or chaos—it comes from the presence of God in the midst of it. Philippians 4:7 tells us that "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." When we hear God’s voice, we don’t have to fear the chaos around us because we know the Shepherd is leading us.
Hearing God’s voice also brings clarity. The noise of the world can create confusion and uncertainty, but God’s voice cuts through the noise, giving us direction. Psalm 119:105 reminds us that "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." When we follow God’s voice, we don’t have to stumble in the darkness—He lights the way before us.
As we learn to quiet the distractions, trust His voice, and walk in obedience, we begin to experience the fullness of life that God has promised us. John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. That abundant life is found in walking closely with the Shepherd, hearing His voice, and following His lead.
Close:
In a world that is constantly pulling us in different directions, God is calling us to tune in to His voice. He is speaking, even in the chaos, but the question is: Are we listening?
Today, God is inviting you to quiet the noise, to trust His voice, and to step into the peace and clarity that comes from hearing Him. If you’ve been struggling to hear God’s voice, if the distractions of life have been overwhelming, this is your moment to turn your heart toward Him. God is ready to speak to you, to guide you, and to bring you the peace you’ve been searching for.
If you need prayer today—whether you’re seeking direction, clarity, or simply a deeper connection with God—come forward and let us pray with you. God is ready to meet you in the stillness, to speak to you in the quiet moments, and to lead you into the fullness of His plan for your life.
Will you unlock His voice in your life today? The Good Shepherd is calling. Will you come?
