How to hear God’s Voice (The Voice)

Do you know what a blind audition is? There is a show called “The Voice” on television. The idea behind “The Voice” is that there are four judges who have to turn around backward like this. They have to listen to a person do a blind audition. They listen when they hear what they know is the voice for them. The idea is that this judge will work with the person they pick for their team. They are going to work with this person and help them become the best singer that they are called to be.

This is called a blind audition. The judges turn around backwards like this when they hear a voice of a contestant they like singing. You can see the judges’ faces. They listen very carefully. When they feel like that chord is struck, when that person is really singing their song that they can work with—BOOM! They hit the buzzer, and they turn around and see who is actually singing. I want to use that as an image for The Gospel today. You are like the judges. You are on a blind audition. Actually, God is on a blind audition. He is trying to get you to hear His voice. Not only to hear His voice but to hit the buzzer. To commit yourself to Him.

First of all, I want to talk to you about hearing the voice of God. It is like God is on a blind audition. He is trying to win your heart. He’s trying to get your attention. Oftentimes we are blind. We cannot see Him. But we can listen and hear His voice. For us to do that in this crazy world, we all know that it takes some silence. Jesus says all throughout Scripture that He comes to us in moments of silence. In some ways we have to blind ourselves. We have to close our eyes. We have to silence everything around us. We have to spend time in silent prayer listening intently for the voice of God. The saints and the mystics call that a holy hour. We spend a holy hour every day or some significant time in prayer with God, listening to Him. He is auditioning for us. I say that because we have a choice in the matter. You know, we do not have to listen to His voice. We do not have to choose God. We can choose to listen to another voice. God is doing His best to woo you: to get your attention, to listen to your heart. The first thing is that we have to listen attentively to the voice of God. In silence most of all, but then also throughout our day. God can come to us and speak to us through people, through events, through amazing things in life. First, we have to listen to the voice of God.

Second, we have to commit. When God is auditioning to us, He is working in the midst of this world and all these other voices. We have to listen very intently. You will notice the judges on “The Voice” are listening intently for that voice. The one that stirs their heart. We do the same. The cool thing is they know. You know right away when someone has a vowe—BOOM! They hit the buzzer and they turn around and they commit. We have to do the same thing. When we hear the voice of God, we have to commit. Just hit the buzzer and commit. What that means is responding to His voice. If we sense that God is calling us to do something, we just have to hit that buzzer and commit to Him. If we sense that God is calling us away from something, we have to hit that buzzer and commit to Him. He is the gate. Jesus is the one that is going to lead us to the fullness of life. He knows your call in this world. He knows what He wants to do with you. He is constantly auditioning for you so that you will commit and respond to Him.

Third, the coolest part I think, is when the judges turn around. They are often shocked by the person whose voice they just heard. Because in their mind, they had one picture of who this voice might be coming from. Then when they turn around, they see it is a person they would never expect to have this beautiful voice. That is the third thing. God is probably going to surprise you in the way that He speaks to you. First of all, just realize that God is doing this blind audition with you. The first thing is that we have to listen so carefully and intently to the voice that resonates within our hearts. The second thing is at some point we have to commit. We have to hit the buzzer, turn around, and commit. Follow whatever that voice is calling us to do. The third thing is to be surprised because God often comes to us in unexpected and wonderful ways. Now, I invite you to The Voice. You are in the game show. This is it. Life is The Voice. It is the reality that God is on the blind audition. He wants so much for you to listen to His voice, to commit to Him, and to be surprised with the wonderful things He wants to do with you.