Whether you’re new to prayer or an old hand, you’ve probably asked yourself at some point: ‘How can I hear God’s voice?’

Recently, a friend of mine was experiencing some challenges in her work leading her to question if she should explore other opportunities. She prayed about the situation and was convinced that she would hear something at Mass the next day that would guide her next step.

While she was listening to the homily at Mass, a fellow parishioner moved into the pew in front of her. The parishioner placed her phone down on the pew directly in the eye-line of my friend, who immediately noticed the large sticker of St Teresa of Avila on the back of the phone, which said ‘Trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be’. The simple act of reading those words gave my friend a great sense of peace and encouragement.

This story resonated with me because it highlights how God’s answers to our prayers are often communicated to us in ways or at times that we don’t expect.

In the classic book of daily meditations, Divine Intimacy, Fr Gabriel of St Mary Magdalen OCD says God speaks to us in a wide variety of ways:

“A word read or heard, perhaps even by chance, an edifying example, an interior inspiration, a new light which makes you see your faults more clearly and opens new horizons of virtue and of good – all are visits from Jesus.” (p.732).

In our information-heavy culture, it’s been estimated that each person reads or hears up to 100,000 words per day. So how do we know which words come from God, and which ones don’t?

A helpful analogy might be the experience of using a mobile phone in a remote area. It may seem impossible to hear the voice of anyone in such a situation – unless you have great reception and connection, as well as some battery power.

We can be receptive to God’s voice by creating space to hear Him each day, perhaps through a time of silence or quiet reflection. And our connection to God grows stronger the more we pray and grow in our knowledge of Him.

But this receptivity and connection can only be established provided we are ‘switched on’ – alert enough to identify when God is communicating to us and re-charged by the Sacraments of the Church.

The next time you pray, first take a moment to ensure you are prepared and ready to hear God’s response, in whatever form it takes. And when He calls, be sure to answer!

Further Reading

How to hear God’s voice (Ascension Presents, YouTube)
Talking with God: Prayer (Becoming Catholic)
Prayer is listening and talking to God (Fr Tony Percy, Catholic Voice)

Image: Pexels: Andrea Piacquadio
Words: Matthew Biddle