God Speaks to You

Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ ”

Exodus 4:1 NKJV

Anyone who has turned to God in hope, seeking some guidance, has surely asked the question: “What do you want me to do?” A crucial question, full of expectation, which can turn into anxiety and, if left unanswered, into confusion and bewilderment. We constantly need to discern which choices to make, what to prioritize or let go of, so as not to make mistakes or stray from the Lord’s ways. And that is why some people easily end up being tossed about or swept along by those who, without any hesitation or fear, present themselves as spokespeople for the divine. In my own modest journey of faith, I have learned that nothing is more complex than grasping God’s will. How can I be certain that it is not simply the result of my own desires? It is by no means easy to clearly recognize God’s supernatural voice in one’s own life—at least for me. Understanding His will requires a humble attitude of prayer and much discernment, an unquantifiable amount of time, and great prudence. Discernment is based on several factors: if all these factors confirm our intuition, then we can make choices in that direction, but without ever abandoning caution. “Simple and prudent,” the Master taught in times past.

Let’s turn to our text. It must not have been easy for Moses to come to terms with the experience of the burning bush, and yet that voice was not foreign to him. In Scripture, men called to a mission often find themselves in the desert—the place of absolute silence—to practice, first and foremost, listening: lending an ear to the Word of God and letting it resonate in the deepest part of ourselves. The shepherd of Midian responded to each statement with resistance, but he eventually had to yield and take on the task of leading a people out of Egypt. Not all of us will be called to perform such feats, but until we have clarity about our purpose, we may wander aimlessly, losing our zest for life. We all, however, hope for paths of victory and conquest, the achievement of great results, and we overlook the fact that Moses himself did not enter Canaan. Before that, we must fall face down, like Paul on the road to Damascus. After the desert, there is always a journey to undertake and an effort to make, with all the associated risks, but the voice we have heard will instill the necessary confidence. The point is to be certain that we have heard His voice and that we are not prey to our own desires or the unwitting victim of some “pied piper.”

God speaks in various ways, and that is why we must learn to recognize His ways of communicating. He can use anything and anyone to call us to conversion, to stir up the lukewarm, to reach out to those who wish to follow Him—and He never uses a predefined, recognizable cliché. Over the years, I’ve learned to recognize some distinctive traits of His speech and the methods He uses: one does not exclude the other, but together they can make His voice stronger and clearer. First of all, concrete events that appear as coincidences, but which a believing heart might call “God-incidences,” as manifestations of His inscrutable plan that you’ll encounter along your path. The Word of God is ever-present, a lamp to dispel darkness and clouds of doubt. Through a sermon or a meditation, Scripture will resonate deep within us, pushing us beyond all resistance. Pay attention to which pulpit the message comes from, because it is not always “pure gold,” and it is still possible to hear a donkey like Balaam. Finally, confirmation. Let what has matured be examined by a trustworthy person—a further step to ensure you do not err. Remember that the flame must burn within you, and if it does, you can only declare: “Here I am!”.

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Weekly Bible Reading Plan #26

June 22, Esther 6–8; Acts 6

June 23, Esther 9–10; Acts 7:1–21

June 24, Job 1–2; Acts 7:22–43

June 25, Job 3–4; Acts 7:44–60

June 26, Job 5–7; Acts 8:1–25

June 27, Job 8–10; Acts 8:26–40

June 28, Job 11–13; Acts 9:1–21