“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 NIV
When was the last time you sat with someone you loved and felt no need to fill the silence?
Healthy relationships require speaking and listening. Yet many of us think of prayer as talking to God. The things we bring to God matter. But relationships deepen when we make room to listen. Listening can feel uncomfortable. Our lives are noisy. Phones buzz. Messages arrive. To do lists compete for our attention. Even when we’re alone, our minds can feel crowded. Many of us wait for something dramatic and overlook the quiet ways God may be working. In the Bible, God made His presence known to His messenger, Elijah, through a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12).
Ryan is a young engineer who began setting aside five minutes each morning to listen to God before checking his phone. He wasn’t expecting to hear God out loud. Instead, he read a few Bible verses and sat quietly, trusting God to speak through Scripture. Some days nothing happened. Other days a verse lingered in his thoughts, giving him wisdom, comfort, or perspective.
Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27 NIV). Listening to Jesus begins with knowing He speaks, trusting that He knows you, and being willing to follow.
Silence and stillness aren’t about emptying your mind or achieving perfect calm. Try simply turning your attention toward God and remaining open to what He wants you to notice. Even a few quiet minutes can change the tone of an entire day. If five minutes feels too long, start with two. Find a passage of Scripture, sit with it, and listen. You may be surprised by what becomes clear in the silence.
