Are We Listening? How to Hear God’s Voice in a Noisy World
By Aaron Joseph Hall
Jesus wants to talk to you.
Not just when you’ve got your Bible open and the worship playlist on. Not just on Sundays when you’re in the pew and the sermon is rolling. Not just when life is falling apart and you’re desperate for an answer.
He wants to talk to you right now. Right here.
While you’re driving to work. While you’re picking up groceries. While you’re folding that third load of laundry you forgot in the dryer yesterday.
The question isn’t if He’s speaking. He is. The question is—are we listening?
The God Who Has Always Spoken
I think about how the whole story of Scripture begins with God, who speaks. He spoke light into the darkness. He spoke creation into existence. He spoke promises to Abraham under a night sky full of stars. He spoke to Moses through a bush that wouldn’t burn up. He spoke to the prophets with fire in their bones.
And then, when the time was right, He spoke to us through His Son.
Hebrews 1:1–2 says:
“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.” (NLT)
Jesus didn’t come just to give us a new set of rules to follow or to clean us up so we’d look presentable for church. He came to bring us close. To walk with us. To speak to us—personally, by name.
Why We Miss His Voice
But here’s the thing. Our lives are loud.
There’s the constant buzz of our phones, the never-ending mental checklist, the weight of work and bills and schedules, and that low hum of stress that never really shuts off.
And in all that noise, it’s so easy to miss Him. Not because He’s quiet—but because we aren’t slowing down enough to notice.
Sometimes we don’t hear Him simply because we’re not expecting Him to speak. We think it’s for “other people”—the super-spiritual ones, the people who seem to live at a higher altitude of faith. But Jesus said:
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27, NLT)
That’s not a verse for the spiritual elite. That’s for you. That’s for anyone who belongs to Him.
How God Speaks Today
Sometimes through Scripture—a verse you’ve read a hundred times suddenly hits you like you’ve never seen it before.
Sometimes through prayer—not a booming voice, but a deep sense of peace or conviction you can’t shake.
Sometimes through people—someone says something and it’s like they were reading your mail.
Sometimes through circumstances—a door closes you were sure would open, or one opens you weren’t even knocking on. And sometimes through His creation—a sunrise, a bird’s song, the sound of waves—all of it whispering, I’m here. I see you.
But here’s the key: His voice will always line up with His Word. He will never contradict Himself. And He will always draw you closer, not push you away.
Making Room to Hear Him
If we want to hear Him more clearly, we’ve got to make space.
For me, that means starting the day in the Word before the rest of the world barges in. It means silencing my phone when I pray. Sometimes it means going for a walk without earbuds just to let Him have the airspace.
Maybe for you, it’s five minutes of stillness before bed. Maybe it’s writing down what you sense God is saying and looking back later to see the patterns. Maybe it’s committing to read one chapter of Scripture a day, asking Him, What do You want to show me?
He Knows Your Name
Friend, He’s speaking.
He knows your name.
He knows the weight you’re carrying.
He knows the prayers you haven’t dared to pray out loud yet.
He’s not waiting for you to be perfect before He talks to you. He’s not rolling His eyes because you’ve missed Him before. He’s calling you—today.
So slow down. Take a breath. Turn your ear toward Him.
Because the question isn’t whether Jesus is speaking.
The question is—are we listening?
Aaron Joseph Hall is a husband, dad, pastor, and writer. He shares his thoughts on faith, life, and daily obedience on his Substack at AaronJosephHall.com. Aaron is also the Lead Pastor of Jubilee City Church and the author of Redeem the Story: A Call to Let God Rewrite Your Story. Follow him on Substack, Facebook, and Instagram.
