I was scrolling through Instagram when an ad for one of those “What would Jesus do?” bracelets came up. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself. I can see the benefit of keeping a constant reminder of God’s voice and presence close to you. In wearing accountability, it may serve as a resource for memorizing the question, one question to process thoughts and help discern next steps. But for me, “what would Jesus do?” can quickly act as a problem more than a solution, one question sending me down a spiraling thought process of “is this God’s will? Is He telling me to do this? Or is it just me overthinking?”

The age-old question of “is God speaking to me?” can be addressed by knowing the speaker in question. Have you ever been told that your friend said such and such, and you cannot believe it because it just doesn’t sound like something your friend would say? The same principle applies to discerning the voice of God. To know if He is speaking, we must first know the speaker. Time and time again, the Bible describes itself as the word of God, the truth in its purest form. So, to learn about our creator, let’s turn to the strongest “lead” we have.

God’s voice comforts and equips

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort”

2 Corinthians 1:3

God will never speak with unforgiveness, harshness, or rejection, nor will His voice create a spirit of depression in you. His voice will not dishearten the afraid. He is a God who equips and encourages His people. Instead of saying, “you can’t do that, you’re not smart, brave, funny, experienced enough to do that,” He says, “I will equip the called, you have all you need. I will be beside you each step of the way.” God doesn’t remind you of all your faults; He reminds us of our relation to Him. Through Him, victory is already ours.

In reading this verse, I think of Moses’s story, specifically his encounter with the burning bush. When he received direct instruction from God himself, Moses couldn’t respond but say, “who am I to do such things?” His first thought was, “umm, me? I am definitely not experienced enough or brave enough or well-spoken enough.” It was as if Moses believed God had made a mistake, that the sovereign being and creator of the universe had chosen incorrectly. But instead of revoking this great opportunity and even greater responsibility, God comforted Moses, saying: “’ But I will be with you’” (Exodus 3:12 ESV). The great comforter. God said, “You have all you need. I have chosen correctly, and I picked you.”

He instructs and decides

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Psalms 119:105

God’s voice is insightful and discerning, bringing insight into questions previously unanswered. He doesn’t say, “what if this option is the right one? What if this other option is correct?” God’s voice is sure and complete; it doesn’t send a spirit of indecision. So when you feel a wave of confusion over a decision, know that the content of that voice is not from God. To find out more on how to differentiate between God’s instruction and your conscious thought, read this.

God keeps His promises

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”

Numbers 23:19

This verse opens up an extensive list of attributes of God, from being faithful to being fair. God is just and merciful and willing to work with us. He doesn’t leave our lives after salvation but actively seeks to better His children through painful work. He endures with patience, making promises, and keeping them. God keeps His promises, and in doing so, He gives us the hope and faith we need to endure, improving ourselves according to His standard.

“Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”

John 21:25

 The Bible says that we will never know all there is to know about Jesus, and in turn, God the Father, but with the information, we do know about the deities we serve, it is possible to determine the voice of God. He comforts the disheartened, equips the unsure, instructs the indecisive, and keeps His promises to the individual and multitude alike.

For more information on hearing God’s voice amid the chaos of this world, click here to read a friend of mine’s amazing post!