*Originally written for a Time Alone With God (TAWG) session at Ignite Camp 2026*
I used to limit my thoughts of God’s creativity to what I thought made the most sense in my mind. Especially when it comes to hearing from God. I thought the only way to hear from God was him physically speaking words to us. A perfect biblical example would be in Genesis. There was Abraham, and God directly spoke to him verbally, promising him as many descendants as the stars in the sky. But recently I’ve noticed and learned three main ways God speaks to us.
First, he speaks through Scripture. Have you ever gone to church or a bible study and read a passage that oddly stuck in your brain or made you think? That’s a way God speaks to us. He shows us the work he’s done to assure, give us opportunity, maybe handle doubts, or to just give you joy and persistence. The Bible is THE living word of God. It has so much wisdom and guidance, so it makes sense that the Lord emphasizes it to us.
The second way that God might speak to us is through his Spirit. Recently I've learned a new word, discernment. Discernment means the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure. Sort of like what we call “a gut feeling.” The Holy Spirit gives us promptings or hunches that point us in the right direction. The Holy Spirit discerns the right and wrong, God’s way or the world’s way, feeding the soul or feeding the flesh. It is a way that God helps us make decisions that He knows are right for us.
The third way that God can speak to us is through others. Sometimes when I'm at church on a Sunday, I hear a pastor’s words. Maybe just a sentence sticks out to me. Many times it directly connects to an issue I may be facing or something that I have been praying about. Coincidence? I don’t think so. But God doesn’t only speak through leaders in the church; He speaks through us too! You do not need a college degree to be used by God. A perfect example would be in Acts 4 of Peter and John speaking before the council. Earlier in Acts, Peter and John healed a crippled man. The council was not happy about their declaration of Jesus’s death, resurrection, and current healing. When they were before the council, Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He explained to the council how this man was healed. After this explanation, the council was amazed by Peter and John’s boldness and realized they had no special scripture training, but only that they had been with Jesus. That is a perfect example of God working through others to make an impact on someone else’s life.
God works in mysterious ways. So, whether he speaks through Scripture, the Holy Spirit, or other people, it is all for our good. So don’t question if God is listening to you if he doesn’t verbally make himself known to you. Instead, look in the small aspects, such as little nudges and simple words. God shows up in all things, even the details.
Addie Turnquist
Sophomore | Zionsville Community High School