How To Hear God’s Voice: The Powerful, Unexpected Whisper
Author: Jess Dahl
October 15, 2026
How To Hear God’s Voice: The Powerful, Unexpected Whisper
Have you ever felt a nudge to do something but couldn't fully explain why? Maybe you felt prompted to go somewhere, reach out to someone, or take a step that didn't make sense in the moment. You weren't sure what would come of it, but something inside you kept telling you to pay attention.
Learning how to hear God's voice can feel like that sometimes. We might expect His direction to come through a clear answer or an unmistakable sign, but what if He is speaking in ways we've never learned to recognize?
In this episode of the Say Yes Anyway Podcast, I'm sharing a personal story about hearing God's voice, learning to recognize His prompting, and trusting Him when we don't have the full picture. Looking back, I've come to see how important it is to create space to listen and to remain open to the unexpected ways God may lead us. I spoke at a women’s retreat a couple weeks ago and figured why not share the talk with you guys?! It’s a LIVE recording, so you’ll have to be sure you turn your audio all the way up!!
If you've been praying for direction, wondering what your next step should be, or simply wanting to grow in your relationship with God, I hope this conversation encourages you. I share some real life stories and they are powerful!
LISTEN TO THE SAY YES ANYWAY EPISODE
Learning to Recognize God's Voice
I think one of the questions many of us ask is, "How do I know if I'm actually hearing God?" We want to follow His direction, but we also want to be sure we're not simply hearing our own thoughts, reacting to our circumstances, or moving out of our own desires.
Learning to hear God's voice isn't about having a perfect formula. It's about growing in relationship with Him. Just as we become more familiar with someone's voice as we spend time with them, our relationship with God grows as we spend time in prayer, engage with Scripture, and make room to listen.
Sometimes we approach prayer with a list of things we need God to answer. We ask for clarity, direction, confirmation, or a solution to whatever we're facing. Those requests matter, but I think there's also something powerful about learning to be still without needing an immediate answer.
What if we gave ourselves permission to listen instead of always looking for the next instruction? What if we became more attentive to the ways God might be inviting us to respond, even when we don't yet understand why?
The goal isn't to chase every feeling or assume that every thought is a message from God. It's to grow in discernment, bring what we're sensing back to Scripture and prayer, and listen to the ways God is speaking to you…..remain willing to follow His leading as we gain clarity.
What If God's Direction Doesn't Make Sense Yet?
One of the hardest parts of following God is that we don't always get to see where a step will lead before we take it. We want to understand the whole plan, know what will happen next, and feel confident that everything will work out. But sometimes the invitation is simply to take the next step with what we know today.
That can feel uncomfortable, especially when the direction seems unexpected or we can't see how it connects to the bigger picture. We may wonder whether we're ready, whether we've understood correctly, or whether we should wait until we have more information.
I've been reminded that uncertainty doesn't automatically mean we should ignore a prompting. It can be an invitation to slow down, pray, seek wisdom, and pay attention rather than immediately dismissing something because it falls outside our expectations.
At the same time, listening to God doesn't mean acting impulsively or treating every feeling as a command. We can take our time, seek wise counsel, and look for alignment with Scripture and God's character. Faith and discernment belong together.
Sometimes clarity comes before we move. Other times, we understand more as we walk forward. Either way, we can keep bringing our questions to God instead of believing we have to figure everything out on our own.
Making Space to Listen
Life can be noisy. Between responsibilities, relationships, work, and the constant stream of information competing for our attention, it can be difficult to slow down long enough to notice what is happening in our hearts.
That's why creating space to listen matters. It doesn't have to look complicated or take hours out of your day. It might mean spending a few quiet minutes in prayer before reaching for your phone, reading Scripture without rushing to finish a chapter, journaling through a decision, or taking a walk and inviting God into the questions you've been carrying.
You might also find it helpful to write down what you're sensing and revisit it over time. What initially feels unclear may become easier to understand as you pray, seek counsel, and consider what is consistent with Scripture. You don't need to force an answer simply because you want one.
And if you don't feel like you're hearing anything right now, that doesn't mean you've failed. A relationship with God isn't measured by how many unmistakable answers you receive. There is room for waiting, asking questions, and learning to trust Him in the quiet.
You can keep showing up, keep listening, and keep bringing your honest questions to Him.
Trusting God With the Next Step
It's easy to believe we need certainty before we can move forward. We want to know where we're going and how everything will unfold before we say yes. But often, growth happens as we learn to trust God one step at a time.
That doesn't mean we need to have every answer or that following Him will always feel easy. It means we can remain open to His direction while using wisdom, seeking clarity, and responding faithfully to what is in front of us.
When we look back on our lives, we may begin to recognize moments that seemed small or confusing at the time but later became meaningful parts of our story. We may see how a conversation, a decision, or an unexpected change shaped the direction we took. Sometimes perspective comes only with time.
We don't have to understand every detail today to keep growing in our relationship with God. We can ask Him for wisdom, stay rooted in Scripture, and take the next step when we have enough clarity to move forward.
What Is God Inviting You to Notice?
If you've been asking God for direction lately, perhaps this is an invitation to create a little more space to listen. You don't have to manufacture a sign or force yourself to hear something. You can simply come to Him honestly, with your questions, hopes, and uncertainty.
Ask for wisdom. Spend time in Scripture. Pray about what you're sensing, and seek trusted counsel when you need it. Give yourself room to discern rather than rushing to make every decision immediately.
And remember that you don't have to see the entire path to keep walking with God.
Sometimes the next step will be clear. Sometimes you'll need to wait, pray, and seek more understanding. Either way, you can keep growing in trust and learning to recognize His guidance along the way.
What might change if you made a little more room to listen for God's voice this week?
With love,
Jess
Connect With Jess
Website: JessDahl.com
Instagram: @jessdahl_
Wholeness Journey: WholenessJourney.org
If you're ready to grow in faith, discover your purpose, and take your next steps with greater clarity, I'd love to connect with you.
BACK