April 12|Is It God's Will or Just Pizza? 4 Proven Ways to Discern God's Voice
John 10:27
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
Have you ever stared at your phone, paralyzed by indecision, wondering if God has a preference about your choice? You're not alone in this struggle to discern God's voice in your daily decisions.
The Universal Struggle of Hearing God's Voice
We've all been there—thumb hovering over options on our phone, silently pleading, "God, which one should I choose?" Maybe it was something significant like deciding between job offers. Or perhaps—let's be honest—it was just deciding between pizza toppings.
I recently experienced this firsthand at a restaurant with friends when someone jokingly prayed, "Lord, guide my heart toward the pepperoni if that's Your will." We laughed, but it sparked a deeper question that many believers struggle with: When does God actually speak to us, and how can we tell the difference between His voice and just our own thoughts?
This question touches the core of our faith journey. After all, Jesus promised in John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me." Yet for many of us, this promise feels simultaneously beautiful and frustrating. Most of us don't hear a booming voice from heaven declaring, "TAKE THE JOB!" or "CHOOSE THE PEPPERONI!"
So how do we navigate this tension? How do we discern divine guidance from personal desires or external influences? Let's explore four practical ways to recognize God's voice in your everyday decisions.
Four Practical Ways to Discern God's Voice
1. Scripture Alignment: The Ultimate Test
The first and most reliable test for discerning God's voice is Scripture alignment. The same God who inspired the Bible won't contradict it in your heart. This principle serves as our foundation for all other discernment.
If what you're "hearing" pushes you toward dishonesty, revenge, or anything that clearly contradicts biblical teaching—that's not God speaking. This is the essence of what 1 John 4:1 means when it tells us to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God."
Practical Application: When you feel a strong inclination toward a particular decision, ask yourself: "Does this align with biblical principles?" If the answer is no, you can confidently recognize that this prompting isn't from God.
This testing isn't reserved only for dramatic spiritual encounters—it applies equally to those quiet, everyday nudges we feel.
2. Pattern of Confirmation: Looking for Consistency
God often speaks through a pattern of confirmation rather than isolated thoughts. When multiple sources point in the same direction, it's worth paying attention.
What to look for:
Consistent themes emerging during your prayer time
Relevant Scripture passages repeatedly catching your attention
Wise counsel from mature believers affirming the same direction
Circumstances naturally aligning to make a path possible
When these elements converge to suggest the same course of action, it often indicates divine guidance. This doesn't mean every decision requires a perfect alignment of stars, but significant patterns shouldn't be ignored.
3. The Peace Principle: God's Internal Compass
Another powerful indicator of God's voice is the presence of peace. Even when leading us into challenging situations, God's guidance typically produces an underlying sense of rightness or peace.
As Colossians 3:15 suggests, we can let the peace of Christ rule or "arbitrate" in our hearts. This peace functions like an internal compass—not always pointing to the easiest path, but to the right one.
How it works in practice: When considering options, pay attention to your internal state. Often, the choice aligned with God's will brings a sense of settled confidence, even when it involves difficulty. Conversely, a persistent uneasiness despite logical advantages might be a warning sign.
This peace transcends circumstances—it's possible to feel God's peace even when facing opposition or challenges.
4. Familiarity Through Relationship: Recognizing His Tone
Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of discerning God's voice is the simple truth that recognition comes through relationship. Like any relationship, recognizing God's voice gets easier with time and familiarity.
Think about how you instantly recognize a close friend's voice on the phone without them needing to identify themselves. This recognition comes from countless hours of conversation and shared experiences.
How to develop this familiarity:
Establish consistent time in prayer and Scripture reading
Practice listening in addition to speaking during prayer
Journal impressions and check them against outcomes over time
Review past instances where you clearly discerned God's guidance
The more you practice listening, the more attuned you become to the unique "tone" of God's voice in your life.
Beyond Decision-Making: The Deeper Reality
Here's a perspective shift that many believers miss: God is often far more concerned with WHO you're becoming than WHAT you're choosing in many situations.
The pepperoni vs. mushroom debate? Probably not a divine directive. Yet the character you display while making decisions? The way you love people? Your willingness to forgive? These aspects of your life matter deeply to God.
Sometimes we're asking the wrong question entirely. Instead of obsessing over "What is God's will?" perhaps we should ask, "How can I bring God's character into this situation regardless of what I choose?"
This doesn't minimize God's guidance in significant life decisions. Rather, it places that guidance within the proper context of relationship and character formation.
A Fresh Approach to Discernment
Maybe discernment isn't primarily about making perfect decisions. Perhaps it's about walking so closely with God that His heart gradually becomes your heart—whether you're navigating major life changes or just ordering pizza.
This perspective shifts discernment from a stressful guessing game to a natural outcome of deepening relationship. The goal isn't just hearing God's voice for individual decisions, but developing such intimacy with Him that you naturally think, feel, and choose in alignment with His character.
Practical Steps to Take Today
If you're facing a decision and trying to discern God's voice:
Check Scripture first: Does your inclination align with biblical principles? This is non-negotiable.
Look for patterns: Are you seeing consistent confirmation across different sources?
Assess your peace: Do you sense that deep, settled confidence about a particular direction?
Invest in relationship: Spend time with God outside of decision-making moments to become more familiar with His voice.
Consider character: Ask, "Which option allows me to best express God's character in this situation?"
The Invitation Beyond Answers
Today, I invite you to listen differently. Not just for answers, but for presence. Not just for direction, but for relationship. This shift transforms discernment from a stressful exercise to a life-giving conversation.
What decision are you facing today? How might you listen for God's voice in it—not just for the answer, but for the deeper invitation to know Him better?
Remember, the ultimate goal isn't just making the "right" choice about a job, relationship, or even pizza toppings. It's walking so closely with God that His heart becomes your heart, His thoughts gradually influence your thoughts, and His character increasingly shapes your character.
That's discernment at its finest—not just hearing God's voice for decisions, but knowing His heart for life.
What decisions are you struggling to discern right now? Share in the comments below, and let's encourage one another in this journey of learning to recognize God's voice.
God is the Creator and Sustainer of All Things
When we ask who God is, we must start at the beginning—literally. The Bible opens with the powerful declaration, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). This isn't just a statement about historical events; it reveals a fundamental aspect of God's identity. He introduces Himself to us first as Creator, the One who spoke everything into existence.
But God isn't merely a cosmic architect who built the universe and stepped away. Colossians 1:17 tells us, "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." This reveals a profound truth about God's ongoing relationship with His creation. At this very moment, God is actively sustaining every molecule, every heartbeat, every star in the sky. Nothing continues to exist apart from His sustaining power.
The implications of this truth are staggering when we consider the scope of creation. The same God who designed spiral galaxies with their billions of stars also crafted the intricate details of your DNA, your personality, your unique combination of gifts and abilities. This isn't distant, impersonal power—this is intimate artistry on the grandest scale imaginable.
As David wrote in Psalm 139:13, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." The language here is personal, intentional, and loving. God didn't mass-produce humanity; He crafted each person with exquisite attention to detail.
What does this mean for us practically? It means nothing about your life is accidental or meaningless. The Creator of everything knows you by name and has crafted you with purpose. When you feel insignificant or lost in the vastness of existence, remember you're the masterpiece of the universe's Designer.
This truth also reshapes how we see the world around us. Every sunrise, every mountain range, every intricate ecosystem points back to the creative genius of God. Creation isn't just something that happened long ago—it's the ongoing expression of God's character and power, inviting us into wonder and worship of the One who made it all.
God is Holy and Just
The second essential truth we need to understand about God's identity is that He is completely holy. Isaiah 6:3 describes a heavenly scene where angels are constantly calling out, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty." In Scripture, when something is repeated three times, it's emphasizing its absolute, supreme nature. Holiness isn't just one attribute among many—it's the very essence of who God is.
But what does "holy" actually mean? At its core, holiness means God is utterly pure, separate from all evil, and completely perfect in all His ways. 1 John 1:5 tells us, "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." There is nothing impure, corrupt, or flawed in God's nature. This holiness is why we instinctively feel unworthy in His presence—because we recognize the vast difference between His perfection and our flaws.
Flowing directly from God's holiness is His justice. Deuteronomy 32:4 says, "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he." God's justice isn't arbitrary or unpredictable; it's the consistent expression of His holy character. Because God is holy, He cannot simply overlook sin or pretend it doesn't matter—that would contradict His very nature.
This might sound intimidating at first. A perfectly holy and just God stands in stark contrast to our own imperfection. But understanding God's holiness helps us grasp two vital truths: first, the incredible mercy He shows us despite our failures; and second, the assurance that ultimately, everything wrong in our world will be made right.
When injustice seems to prevail, when evil appears to win, when the innocent suffer while the guilty prosper—we can find comfort in knowing that the God who is perfect justice will ensure all accounts are settled in the end. Nothing escapes His notice, and no wrong will remain unaddressed forever.
God's holiness sets the standard for all that is good and right. It challenges us to pursue purity in our own lives while reminding us of our constant need for His grace and forgiveness. Without understanding God's holiness, we can never fully appreciate the wonder of His love.
God is Love Personified
Perhaps the most transformative truth about God's identity comes in the simple yet profound statement found in 1 John 4:8, which declares, "God is love." Notice it doesn't merely say God loves, but that love is the essence of who He is. Every action, every decision, every interaction God has flows from this core identity.
This isn't the sentimental, emotional concept of love often portrayed in our culture. This is love in its purest, most powerful form—love that always acts for the highest good of the beloved, regardless of cost. And the ultimate demonstration of this love came through Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Think about this—the holy, just God we just discussed found a way to satisfy both His justice and His love through Christ's sacrifice. Sin could not go unpunished because God is holy, but we could not bear that punishment and live. So God Himself, in the person of Jesus, took the punishment we deserved.
This isn't a distant, theoretical kind of love. Jesus described God as "Abba, Father" (Mark 14:36)—an intimate term similar to "Daddy" in our language. Romans 8:15 tells us we can use this same term, approaching God with the trust and closeness of a beloved child.
What does this mean practically? Even in your darkest moments—when you fail, when you doubt, when life falls apart—God's love for you remains unwavering. Nothing you do can make Him love you more, and nothing you do can make Him love you less. His love isn't based on your performance but on His character.
This love transforms how we view our struggles. We're not facing them alone or being punished by a vengeful deity. We're walking through them with a loving Father who promises to work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
God's love also serves as our model for how we should love others. As 1 John 4:19 reminds us, "We love because he first loved us." His perfect love becomes both our source and our standard.
God is Ever-Present and Personal
Finally, we need to understand that God is not distant or inaccessible. He isn't confined to church buildings or religious ceremonies. Psalm 139:7-10 beautifully illustrates God's omnipresence: "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."
This passage tells us something profound—there is nowhere in the universe where God is not fully present. But beyond simply being everywhere, God desires personal relationship with each of us. Jesus promised in Matthew 28:20, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." The Holy Spirit is described as our Helper, Comforter, and Counselor (John 14:26), sent to guide us through life's journey.
God is not a concept to be studied but a Person to be known. He speaks to us through His Word, through prayer, through circumstances, and through other believers. He knows your name, your thoughts, your fears, and your dreams—and He invites you into genuine relationship with Him.
This means you can talk to God anywhere, anytime, about anything. Prayer isn't a formal religious exercise but an ongoing conversation with Someone who is always listening. You don't need special words or rituals to get His attention—He's already giving you His full attention.
When life feels overwhelming or God seems silent, remember His promise in Hebrews 13:5: "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." The God of the universe has committed Himself to be present with you in every moment, whether you feel it or not.
This presence changes everything about how we navigate life. We're never truly alone. We're never without guidance. We're never facing our challenges without the resources of heaven available to us. The ever-present God walks beside us through every valley and celebrates with us on every mountaintop.
Knowing God Transforms Everything
So who is God? He is the all-powerful Creator who designed and sustains everything in existence. He is perfectly holy and just, the standard of all that is good and right. He is love personified, demonstrated most clearly through Christ's sacrifice. And He is ever-present and personal, desiring relationship with you right now.
These four truths barely scratch the surface of God's infinite nature, but they provide a foundation for understanding the One who created you, loves you, and invites you into relationship with Him. And understanding who God truly is changes everything about how we experience life.
When we grasp that we're created with purpose by the Master Designer, we find meaning even in our ordinary moments. When we recognize God's holiness, we're motivated to pursue purity while being deeply grateful for His grace. When we experience His love, we find security that transcends our circumstances. And when we live in awareness of His presence, we never face any challenge alone.
The journey of knowing God is lifelong. No article, book, or sermon can fully capture His magnificence. But as you continue seeking Him through prayer, Scripture, and community with other believers, these foundational truths will come alive in increasingly personal ways.
I encourage you to take some time today to reflect on which aspect of God's character resonates most with you in your current season. Perhaps journal about it, talk with a trusted friend, or simply sit quietly and allow these truths to sink from your head into your heart.
The God who created galaxies knows your name. The God who is perfect holiness offers you grace. The God who is love itself pursues you relentlessly. And the God who fills the universe promises to never leave your side.
An Invitation to go Deeper….
If today’s message spoke to you, join the FaithLabz 30-Day Prayer Challenge and strengthen your connection with God’s unshakable love. You are never alone—let’s grow together!
