Episode 8: The Voice of Love

Hey, welcome back to the Wholehearted Woman Podcast. I'm Chris Ray, and this is your heart room, a place where we slow down long enough to discover that God is often speaking more than we even realize. Last week we began talking about something deeply personal. We talked about the voices that shape our hearts, the voices that tell us we're not enough, that tell us to hide, to perform, to earn love, to keep striving. And we ended with one question. If those voices aren't Jesus, then how do we recognize his voice? I think that's one of the most beautiful questions a believer can ask. Because healing isn't simply learning to recognize the lie, healing is learning to recognize the shepherd. Let's dig in. When I first gave my life to Christ, I honestly didn't know what to expect. I knew I had met Jesus. I knew something had changed, but I had no idea what a relationship with him actually looked like. And then something happened that changed my life forever. One morning, somewhere between sleeping and waking, I heard these exact words. As clearly as I've heard anything in my life. The words were expect the extraordinary. I sat straight up in bed, I wasn't trying to hear God. I wasn't asking for an experience. I wasn't searching for some mystical moment. I simply heard those words. And those words didn't come from me. They carried life, hope, joy. It was like an invitation. It awakened something inside me. And looking back now, I realized Jesus wasn't simply speaking words, he was introducing himself. One of the things I've learned over the years is that God doesn't speak because he wants to impress us, he wants us to know him. Sometimes we become so fascinated with hearing God's voice that we forget why he speaks. I think the reason is if you just boil it all down, he speaks because he is a father, a shepherd, a friend, a bridegroom. Relationship is always his goal, not information. Jesus said in John 10, My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. Notice what he didn't say. He didn't say, My smartest sheep, my most mature sheep, my perfect sheep. He simply said, My sheep. Hearing his voice begins with belonging to him, not performing for him. As the weeks went by, I began spending time with him every day. Sometimes I'd simply sit quietly, sometimes I'd journal. At first I thought I was only writing my own thoughts. But somewhere in the middle of writing, something beautiful would happen. An answer would come, a scripture would come alive, a thought would appear that was wiser than anything I could have ever thought or written on my own. It was as though Jesus was gently entering the conversation, not taking over and not forcing himself, just simply speaking patiently, lovingly. And over time I realized the shepherd delights in speaking to his sheep. What a treasure that is. I also noticed something else. Songs suddenly would become different. There were songs and lyrics I had heard for years and didn't really pay much attention to. It was just background music that always was on radios or while you're waiting for a doctor. And suddenly, now it became alive. So I would look up the lyrics and I would look at the meaning of them and oh my gosh, he was speaking to me. I'd be driving and a verse would come to mind. I'd walk outside and notice creation in a way I had never had seen before. The whole world seemed to whisper, I'm here. I wasn't becoming mystical. I was becoming aware. Can I tell you something that took me years to understand? Most of the time, God's voice doesn't compete with all the other voices. It invites. The enemy shouts, fear rushes us, shame accuses us, condemnation demands. But the shepherd, he leads, he calls, he waits, he invites. His voice carries peace even when he is correcting us. I've often been asked, how do I know if it's God speaking? And that's a wonderful question. And while I don't think there's a simple formula, I have noticed something over the years that I can share from my experience. His voice always sounds like him. His voice always agrees with Scripture. His voice never contradicts his character. He convicts, but he doesn't condemn. He corrects, but he doesn't shame. He leads, but he doesn't manipulate. He invites, but he doesn't force. He's gentle. He speaks truth. And he's always speaking it in love. I think sometimes we make hearing God so much more complicated than he intends. We ask, what if I miss him? What if I get it wrong? What if I don't hear him? My friend, do you think the good shepherd is playing hide and seek with his sheep? I don't. I think he is far more committed to making himself known than we are to hearing him. The question isn't whether he desires to speak, the question is whether we're learning to recognize his voice. And like every relationship, recognition grows through time together. That's why I love the image of the shepherd. A sheep doesn't recognize the shepherd's voice because it took a seminar. It recognizes his voice because it has walked with him day after day, moment after moment. Love creates familiarity. And the more I've come to know Jesus, the more another voice becomes quieter. The voice that had told me I wasn't enough. The voice that had told me I had to earn love. The voice that whispered shame. Not because I argued with it, but because I had begun listening to someone else. Every wound has a voice, but Jesus has a voice too. And the more familiar his voice becomes, the less authority the others have. So maybe today you've been wondering if God still speaks. I believe he does, and I know he does. Maybe not always in dramatic ways. Sometimes it's through scripture or through prayer or through a friend or through worship. Sometimes it's the quiet impressions that are completely consistent with his word and character, or it's a knowing in your spirit. But always it draws us closer. It never pushes us away. So I'd love for you to join me this week, and I'd like for you to do something simple. Don't begin by asking, Lord, speak louder. Instead, ask, Lord, help me recognize the voice you've already been speaking to me with. Then open your Bible, sit quietly, or write in your journal, and listen. Not for spectacular experiences, but for the shepherd. Because he delights in making himself known. And so I'd love to end in prayer. Father, thank you for being a God who speaks. Thank you that you are not distant, silent, or uninterested in your children. Thank you that you are the good shepherd who knows each of us by name. Lord, there are so many voices competing for our attention, voices of fear, shame, performance, disappointment, regrets. Teach us to recognize your voice above every other. Give us hearts that are quiet enough to listen and minds that are renewed by your truth, and spirits that are sensitive to your leading. Help us grow so familiar with your character that when you speak, we recognize the one who loves us immediately. Thank you for always leading us toward life, toward truth, toward freedom, toward yourself. In Jesus' name, amen. Next week we're going to take another step on this journey. We've talked about the voices that shape us. We've talked about learning the voice of the shepherd. Now we're going to ask a very practical question. How do we actually begin living from this new identity every single day? Because hearing his voice changes everything, but learning to live from what he says, that's where true transformation begins. So if today's episode encouraged you, I'd love to invite you to continue the journey with me. Visit HearttoHeartministry.com where you'll find additional resources, blog posts, and you can download a free chapter of my book, Heartfully Alive, and continue the conversation with me in the Wholehearted Woman community on Facebook. You can find me on Facebook at The Wholehearted Woman, where I share daily encouragement scripture and conversations that help you continue your journey toward wholehearted living. I'd love to connect with you there. And most of all, if this episode blessed you, would you share it with someone who needs hope today? And you can also follow the podcast, leave a review, or contact me if you have any questions or need prayer. So until next time, remember this you are known, you are deeply loved, and healing is possible. And always remember the shepherd who calls you by name is still speaking. I love you. I'll see you next week.