How Do You Listen for God’s Voice in the Unexpected?

Do you find hearing the Lord’s voice challenging amidst the chaos of unanticipated events? Does the noise of your circumstances drown out the Almighty’s whispers? Although we may know He is near, this is the time, more than ever, you and I need His guidance, love, and presence. Today we have a special guest sharing how to listen for God’s voice in the unexpected.

Please meet Lisa Blair, who has a beautiful website, Strength with Dignity, where she encourages others in their walk with Jesus. Her words below direct us to where we can meet God and hear His voice.

How Do You Listen for God’s Voice in the Unexpected?

Written by Lisa Blair

When unexpected things happen, I listen for God’s voice in stillness, experience Him leading in gentleness, and listen as He speaks His Words of Life to me through His Word, His Holy Spirit, His creation, and prayer.

God’s Voice in Stillness

Our family is currently in a season of unexpected medical issues. When life becomes stressful, turbulent, or chaotic, I counter the atmosphere with stillness.

I silence myself before the Living God, and in His Presence, I find peace for my heart and mind, and rest for my soul.

I give Him every care, concern, and fear and I leave them before Him. It is similar to dropping a burdensome backpack in front of His feet, and there is an assurance in my heart that He can take care of all the cares, concerns, and weights contained inside.

In the backpack’s place, I receive His great love, abundant grace, joy, peace, and hope. He truly gives good gifts! There is no fear in the presence of the Prince of Peace, and what joy and peace delight my heart and soul as I leave my burdens and receive His beautiful gifts!

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” 

~JAMES 4:8 NASB

“Casting all your cares on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” 

~1 PETER 5:7 AMP

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]” 

~MATTHEW 11:28 AMPC

God Approaches Us in Gentleness

As I draw near God, I find great comfort in His Word. In the story of Elijah, we find Elijah in a great power struggle with the prophets of Baal. After the victory, Elijah flees in fear of the threats of the king’s wife. God pursues Elijah in his hiding place and speaks to him.

God said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by, and a great and powerful wind was tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, [there was] an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, [there was] a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, [there was] the sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard the sound, he wrapped his face in his mantle (cloak) and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him.” ~1 Kings 19:11-13 AMP

After God’s powerful display against the prophets of Baal, when God visited Elijah, He came in gentleness. In Psalm 23, David speaks of God being our Good Shepherd, Who leads us beside quiet waters where He restores our soul.

The Lord gently leads us in paths of righteousness to dwell with Him in His house forever. In the journey to our forever home, He keeps us safe from predators, comforts us, feeds us, anoints our heads with oil, and causes goodness and lovingkindness to follow us all the days of our lives. He is such a good and gentle shepherd!

God’s Words of Life

God speaks to us through His Word. His words of life can come through the scriptures, His Holy Spirit, His creation, and times of prayer.

God’s Voice through Scripture

The Lord’s voice comes to us through His holy inspired Words of Life.

“All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately – behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 

~2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 AMP

God’s Voice through His Holy Spirit

When my parents passed away within fourteen months of each other, I remember standing on our porch looking at the winter trees in their barrenness. I felt barren within and wondered if one could tell how I felt by looking at me or if I was like those trees – undiscernible between death and life in the barrenness of winter.

The thought provoked me to declare I’m not dead but alive. And I felt this profound lesson before me—though the trees in winter look dead, their roots are going deep in preparation for spring blooming and summer fruit-bearing. And though I felt emotionally barren at the moment in time, my request before the Lord was for Him to cause my faith roots to go deeper in Him because:

• I was drawing near to Him for comfort
• I was running to Him for strength
• I was crying out to Him to take me up so that I would not be an orphan

In that place, I chose life. I refused despair, bitterness, resentment, an orphan spirit, and once again chose Him to be my all in all.

God Speaks through His Creation

God speaks to us through His creation. All His handiwork testifies to Who He is as a loving Creator.

“For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without and defense or justification], because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks.” 

~ROMANS 1:20-21A AMPC

God’s Voice in Prayer

God speaks to us as we commune with Him in prayer. The Spirit of God intercedes through us, joining with Jesus Who intercedes for us at the right hand of God. As we pray, we join with Him in calling forth His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven, and for His will to be done.

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

~ROMANS 8:26-27 NASB

I pray as you listen for God’s voice in stillness, experience Him lead you in gentleness, and meditate on His Words of Life in the Scriptures, through His Holy Spirit, through His creation, and in prayer, you will find Him near, gently leading you, restoring your soul, and guiding you in the path of life.

Where do you hear God’s voice most often when embracing the unexpected? Did you discover a new way to connect with the Lord through this post?

As a Christian writer, Lisa Blair believes the power of God can set the captives free. She believes God uses His Word and the intercessory prayer of His People to further His Kingdom. Lisa desires for people to encounter Jesus’ heart, know His love, sense His presence, and live in His peace.

Connect with Lisa on her Website—Strength with Dignity and Instagram.

How to Embrace the Unexpected and Persevere: Real Life Stories

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References:

Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631.

Amplified Bible, Classis Edition (AMPC) Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation.

New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB 1995), copyright 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

World English Bible (WEB) by Public Domain. The name “World English Bible” is trademarked.

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