Quiet Your Soul and Listen | Today with Dr. Mark Jobe

“The question is not whether God speaks, but whether we hear Him when He speaks. Our job is to quiet our soul, listen attentively, and discern the voice of God when He speaks to us.”

What does God sound like? Until we get to heaven, we will not know exactly. But Scripture does tell us that God speaks to us. In the Old Testament, He spoke through the prophets, and He speaks to us today through His Word. And He has spoken most perfectly through His Son, Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1–2).

The question is not whether God speaks, but whether we hear Him when He speaks. Our job is to quiet our soul, listen attentively, and discern the voice of God when He speaks to us. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.” Being still is not easy for us in this modern age. It means that we have to stop doing, scrolling, planning, talking, watching, and hash-tagging. It means that we cease all activity.

In that stopping and the stillness that follows, my soul can finally breathe, and my spirit can more fully grasp that God is my refuge and my strength. It is in this stillness that my fear and anxiety start to shrink. We sit quietly in the presence of the Great I AM. It is only then that our thinking can focus on God and His Word.

For years I have been practicing a morning ritual of being still and knowing. For me, this has been spiritually life-giving, and it is motivation to get up early. There are four key parts to my “be still and know” morning rhythm. First, I find a quiet space to listen. If I’m able, I like to be the first person awake in my household and watch the sun rise.

Second, I read God’s Word. God speaks clearly to me through Scripture. I ask, “Lord, what are You saying to me?” and “Is there anything You want me to do about it?” Third, I keep a journal. This helps me process what I’m learning and record what God is teaching. I can go back and reflect on these lessons.

Finally, I spend time in prayer. As I connect to my heavenly Father, it is personal, heartfelt, real, and open. We cannot tell God how and when to speak to us. We can, however, position ourselves to hear His voice.

BY Dr. Mark Jobe, President

Dr. Mark Jobe is the president of Moody Bible Institute. He has served as the lead pastor of New Life Community Church, one church that meets at 27 locations. Mark earned a diploma from Moody Bible Institute in 1984, a master’s degree from Moody Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in transformational leadership from Bakke Graduate University. He is the author of What Now?: How to Move into Your Next Season (Moody Publishers) and can be heard on Bold Steps, a daily program on Moody Radio. He and his wife, Dee, have three adult children and four grandchildren.