How Do We Hear From God?
1. Answering honestly, when someone tells you they “hear from God”, what are your initial thoughts?
2. Describe what you think God’s voice sounds like. Use a the example of a familiar voice to share your thoughts with the group.
3. You may think that God doesn’t talk to you-that you don’t/can’t hear God. But after reading John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me,” we learn that we can recognize His voice. Share a time when you have recognized God’s voice. Explain your experience.
4. Toby shared a story from 1 Samuel 3:1-10. Samuel heard God calling to him. At first, Samuel didn’t recognize it as God’s voice and he needed Eli’s help in figuring it out. How has God used other people in your life to help you hear from Him?
6. Eli tells Samuel to answer God with, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Lots of times, we pray and ask God for things, to do things for us, we tell Him what we need. But, do we stop and invite God to speak to us because we are listening? Why do you think we refrain from asking God to speak to us? What has kept you from asking God to speak to you?
7. The pace of our lives impacts the likelihood of us hearing from God. What can you do this week to change the pace of your life in an effort to hear God’s voice this week?
8. Hearing God’s voice takes practice. It doesn’t come as naturally as we think. What we learn from Samuel is that he had to learn how to hear God’s voice-we have to practice. We ask ourselves, is that just me or is that God’s voice? What can you do this week to practice hearing God’s voice?
9. We may be in a season where we feel like God isn’t speaking to us at all. We may get discouraged and want to just give up. But it’s in our persistence to keep trying again and again to slow our pace and practice hearing from Him that we will feel His nudge, His voice, Him speaking in our lives. Share a time when you were ready to give up on hearing from God-but you persisted and you heard from Him. Your story could be the encouragement someone else needs to hear.
Follow along with our guided prayer!