What Hearing God's Voice During This Season Can Do for Your Heart

What Hearing God's Voice During This Season Can Do for Your Heart

by Michael Desgrosseilliers, Elijah House Prayer Counselor

In the middle of a conversation, have you ever stopped and said to yourself, “Wow—I don’t think this person is really listening to me?”

When we can tell the other person isn’t actually listening to what we’re trying to say, something happens inside our heart. There’s often an immediate response. We start to feel frustrated, even anxious. 

But when someone listens to us, all of that changes. 

Everything calms within us. Our heart feels heard and validated. The other person’s simple act of listening helps to heal and restore the relationship. To whatever degree it was damaged or there was distance or a lack of health, their decision to listen begins to heal the rift. 

Listening and Relationship With God

A similar thing happens when we make the decision to listen to God. Our heart is flooded with a strong sense that everything is going to be okay. 

Without really meaning to, a lot of people see prayer as something they “have” to do. So they read the Bible, do the devotional, pray for 15 or 30 minutes, and then they’re off. Prayer time accomplished.

Quick prayer times can be excellent things. But sometimes God is saying, “Wait, wait! I have something I want to say to you. I want to answer the question you just asked Me.” 

The listening part of prayer is often forgotten.

What Happens When We Simply Listen?

When we pause to listen to God’s answers, the effect on our heart can be life changing. 

If there’s anxiety inside us, hearing His voice will calm our emotions. If we’re dealing with frustration, hearing His voice shows us what is actually happening in the situation or what we need to think about instead.

The outcome of listening to our heavenly Father is good fruit—fruit we need. His voice acts like a soothing balm on the inside of who we are.