The question can quietly haunt even the most committed follower of Jesus:
What if I hear God’s voice and it disrupts my plans?
We long to hear Him—until the moment it might challenge our carefully laid desires. A young woman once expressed it perfectly:
“I’m too scared to listen to the Holy Spirit. What if God says something I don’t like?”
I’ve felt that fear too. What if God asked me to move somewhere I didn’t want to live? Marry someone I didn’t like? What if His will didn’t match my desires?
God’s Voice in Small Steps
Our fear fades when we remember what God is like. Take Adam’s story as an example. He led a Bible study for people struggling with addictions and crime. One evening, he assigned simple homework:
“Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you this week. Then come back and tell us what God said.”
The next week, everyone shared their experiences. One couple stood out—they had each prayed separately, and remarkably, God had spoken the same thing to both:
“Register your car.”
Adam expected life-changing revelations—freedom from addictions, restored families, transformed lives. But instead, God started with something practical and immediate.
A week later, the couple returned, joyful and victorious:
“We registered our car! What’s next?”
Meeting Us Where We Are
This story captures an essential truth: God doesn’t overwhelm us with impossible demands. Like a loving Father, He meets us where we are and invites us forward one step at a time.
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Each word builds trust.
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Each instruction leads to healing and wholeness.
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Each step is tailored to our journey.
Jesus himself reminds us of this gentle guidance:
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?” (Matthew 7:9–10)
God isn’t trying to trap or punish us. He’s guiding us like the Good Shepherd.
God’s Words Bring Life
When we forget God’s character, fear can creep in. But His words are always:
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Good
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Loving
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Life-giving
As Jesus said:
“The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63b).
God’s instructions aren’t burdens—they are nourishment. They guide us forward, sometimes in ways we don’t expect, but always for our good.
Takeaway
Yes, God may speak something unexpected. Yes, the Spirit may challenge us. But His voice never brings fear—only life. Every word leads us home, step by step, in love.