Hearing His Voice #24

[Jeremiah said,] “Just as the LORD had said he would, my cousin Hanamel came and visited me in the prison. . . . Then I knew that the message I had heard was from the LORD.”

Jeremiah 32:8

Jeremiah was accused of only posing as a prophet, but he was entirely genuine, one of God’s finest. Scripture and history have vindicated his words as truly coming from God. So it’s a little surprising when Jeremiah gives us a glimpse of the hearing process—and, as it turns out, it isn’t quite as neat and clean as we might think. He receives a message from God that a relative will come and offer to sell him a piece of the family property. When the relative comes and makes the offer, just as God had said, Jeremiah admits, “Then I knew that the message I had heard was from the LORD.”

We imagine God’s prophets hearing so clearly and decisively that there’s no question of whose voice they heard. But Jeremiah apparently wasn’t sure until circumstances confirmed it. Yes, he had heard a message, but was it truly from God? He thought so, just as we think God is speaking to us sometimes. But the origin of those whispers, impressions, and messages we receive isn’t always clear. Sometimes we need confirmation. Sometimes—almost always, in fact—hearing God is a process.

There’s nothing wrong with being uncertain. When we think we might have heard God’s voice but need confirmation to make sure, that’s normal. If a prophet like Jeremiah didn’t always know for certain until events confirmed what he had heard, we can be comfortable with the same dynamic. This is what it’s like to hear God when He isn’t booming like thunder from heaven—which is most of the time. God is patient with the process and will refine our hearing and draw us closer to Him in the midst of it.

Father, teach me how to discern whether the things I hear are from You or not. Give me confirmation when I’m not sure. Train my ears to recognize Your voice.