Prayer Challenge
28 Days of Prayer
- Hearing From God through Prayer
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. (Psalm 143:8)
And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” (1 Samuel 3:10)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)
Devotional
I remember learning in a counseling class in college to ask good questions, but better yet, to be a good listener. Listening can be a struggle for us, especially when it comes to prayer. We tend to do most of the talking in prayer. The question, ”How do I know when God is speaking to me?” is asked a lot. Many times we tend to do most of the talking because we aren’t sure God will answer.
In 1 Samuel 3:10 Samuel prays, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening”. I love that he prays this and waits and he listens to hear from God. He is listening and not speaking. Even though this can feel awkward, we have to stop talking to hear from God and trust that He will speak to us.
John 10:27 tells us, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” We may not hear God’s audible voice, but we will know when He is speaking to us through other people, through circumstances and in other ways, and we will follow Him. Because He knows us, He knows the ways to speak to us.
So how can we hear from God through prayer? We position ourselves in the presence of the Shepherd, and through prayer and reading His Word, we ask God to speak to us, and we listen for His voice and follow Him.
Father, Above all voices let me hear Your voice, above all pathways, let me know the way you are leading me. Above all advice, let me learn Your counsel, above all knowledge, may I have Your understanding and above all opinions, may I understand Your wisdom. Above all voices, help me hear Your voice Lord. Amen.
Parent Prompt
What are some ways God speaks to us? Set aside some intentional time to listen for God. During this time, you could go on a walk or find a quiet space at home. This is a great exercise to do individually, but depending on the age of your kids, it may be best to do together so that you can model how to both pray and listen for God. Then as a family share how you have heard God during this time and write it in your family prayer journal. Ask God to help you be made more aware of His presence every single day.