“Happy the one who listens to me, attending daily at my gates, keeping watch at my doorposts” (Proverbs 8:34).

The Face in the Background

“I just need to know you’re here,” I told God as I made my way home, somewhat mindlessly, as my internal autopilot kicked in during my commute. My body was weary from the demands of a long day, and my heart was weary from the weight of unanswered prayer. I was walking through a season of uncertainty, and I desperately wanted to hear from God. I’d never heard God speak audibly, but I’d experienced the Lord’s “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12) many times in my life.

In the past, words of Scripture had often leapt off the pages of my Bible. I’d gleaned heavenly insight from the lyrics of a Christian song or a sermon that pierced my heart. Why wasn’t I hearing anything now? I’d been earnestly asking the Lord for a word or a sign of encouragement and direction, but it felt like my ears had grown deaf to the sound of his voice. When I read my Bible, the words fell flat. When I turned my ear to Heaven, I heard only silence. At times, it even felt difficult to pray.

Then, one day, an epiphany occurred to me, drawn from an analogy of the relationship my husband and I have with our children. During many major events in their lives, be they sacramental or related to school, sports, and sickness, my husband and I were supporting them in the background. What was eye-opening for me was the fact that when my children could not audibly hear our voices encouraging them, they sought our faces, and they gave them the comfort and reassurance they needed.

My heart lurched with conviction. Maybe I hadn’t grown deaf. Maybe I’d grown blind. Maybe, in my quest to hear God’s voice, I’d stopped seeing proof of his presence.

Turning Our Ears Toward Heaven and Our Eyes Toward the Earth

The verse from Proverbs at the top of this article reminds us that God doesn’t just want us to seek his word with our ears only. He wants us to “listen” with our eyes, as well. God often commands his people both to listen and look, to hear and see. Bending our ears to the promises of heaven involves tuning our eyes to God’s existence on earth.

Does this sound familiar to you? One of the biggest frustrations expressed by Christians is, “I just don’t hear God speaking to me.” Well, that’s because, unlike the human communication we are accustomed to, God doesn’t usually speak to us with his voice. Rather, he speaks in a language that we can readily understand: our life circumstances. Did you recently have a lucky break at work? That’s God. Did you not receive the offer you were hoping for after a job interview? That’s God. Did someone leave your life? That’s God.

When an opportunity arises, he’s speaking to you. When a door closes, he’s speaking to you. When you hear bad news, he’s speaking to you. Rather than listening with your ears, if you really want to hear your heavenly Father, you need to listen with your eyes.

To do so, firstly, observe the circumstances happening in your life today. Secondly, pause and reflect. Finally, ask God what he is trying to tell you through this circumstance or situation. We discover and hear the invisible God in the visible things of our ordinary life.

My message to you, therefore, is to stop waiting to hear a voice. Rather, let your prayer be, “Dear Lord, teach me to listen to your voice with my ears and my eyes and to seek you in everyday things. I want to know true joy. Open my eyes, Father. I’m listening.”

Shivonne Sant-Solomon is a wife and mother of two, blessed with the responsibility of raising them in this dynamic world! In all of her work, and in her most important roles as mother and wife, her relationship with God has been and continues to be central, as she is first and foremost a child of God. Over the past 19 years, Shivonne has had the opportunity to work in a variety of commercial roles within the energy industry, as well as assuming the role of a stay-at-home mother to her then-younger kids for three years—a transformational experience indeed, and one where the challenges and due respect are saluted and applauded. As Shivonne continues along her spiritual and professional growth and development paths, she seeks out opportunities to share her faith and contribute and support the achievement of the world’s energy transition goals in caring for God’s creation.