How Do You Hear from God?

How do you hear from God? How do you make faithful and potentially life-changing decisions that honor God?

Nicky Gumbel, a British pastor and author of the Alpha Course, suggests that God speaks through five key avenues, which he refers to as the "Five CS's":

• Common Sense

• Commanding Scripture

• Counsel of the Saints

• Compelling Spirit

• Circumstantial Signs

The decision to move to Liberia was a significant one. It meant leaving my job, my family, my church community, and my apartment. I was also grappling with some past experiences that left me questioning my ability to truly discern God's voice.

When I considered the five CS's, moving to Liberia didn’t align with common sense. Who leaves a professional job to volunteer on a hospital ship that you actually have to pay to live on? It wasn’t a decision based on commanding Scripture either. While there are many passages where God moves people around the globe, these examples are descriptive, not necessarily prescriptive for our own lives. And it certainly wasn’t a choice based on the counsel of the saints. While a few encouraged me, the majority cautioned against it.

The decision to move to Liberia, however, was driven by the compelling Spirit and circumstantial signs. I remember one particular night sitting in my dad’s office with my sister. I was lamenting my situation when she suggested I look into Mercy Ships because we had a cousin who had served on the ship. I visited their website and found a listing for a bookstore/coffee shop manager position. As I read the job description, something stirred deeply within me. For years, I had dreamed of starting a bookstore with a coffee shop. That night, I downloaded the extensive application, feeling strongly that the Spirit was compelling me.

In the following weeks, while waiting for a response, God seemed to clear a path through circumstantial signs. A family friend pledged the required funds for the six-month commitment. An acquaintance needed an apartment, and my landlord agreed to sublet my place, avoiding the fees of breaking my lease. It felt like God was opening doors.

By the time I heard back from Mercy Ships, the bookstore manager position had already been filled. But they offered me a role in the galley, serving food to over 400 people. Although disappointed, I saw no other reasonable barriers, so I moved forward.

On my first night aboard the ship, I met an elderly British couple, Roy and Jacquie. They helped me navigate the confusing hallways of the ship. A couple of weeks later, Jacquie approached me and said, “I’ve been wanting to tell you that your presence confirms a vision I had.” She then shared her vision of a tall, fair-skinned girl named Lydia working in the galley. There were three “Lydia's” on board. One was from Holland and one was from Switzerland so you might imagine that either could have been tall and fair-skinned. But the other two were short and dark-skinned, one from Indonesia and the other adopted from Sri Lanka. It seemed that God, in His grace, was confirming His guidance to my questioning heart.

I’d love to hear your story—how has God spoken to you? How has He led you to make decisions, or how has He confirmed your choices?