There is a question many Christians carry, but few are willing to admit out loud: Did I really hear God?
It usually comes after the excitement has faded. After the criticism begins. After the doors don’t open as quickly as we expected. After someone we respect tells us we’re mistaken.
Phyllis Harrington
I know that question well.
There have been moments in my life when God’s calling felt unmistakable. There also have been moments when opposition made me wonder if I had imagined it all. Not because God had stopped speaking but because other voices had become louder.
Over the years, I have discovered something surprising about God’s calling: It rarely arrives with universal applause.
“Over the years, I have discovered something surprising about God’s calling.”
Throughout Scripture, God’s call often confused people before it convinced them. Noah built an ark before anyone saw rain. Abraham left home without knowing where he was going. Esther risked everything to save her people with no guarantee of her own safety. The disciples left their nets without knowing where Jesus would lead them.
Even Jesus himself was questioned by religious leaders who believed they understood God better than the one standing in front of them. Why should we expect our own journey of obedience to be any different?
One of the greatest temptations for Christians is believing God’s calling always will be confirmed by public approval. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes the very thing God is asking us to do is the thing other people struggle to understand.
That doesn’t automatically mean we’re right. But neither does opposition automatically mean we’re wrong. Calling is never proven by popularity. It is tested through faithfulness.
As I wrote She Preached Anyway, I found myself reflecting on people throughout Scripture who kept saying yes to God even when their circumstances suggested they should quit.
Joseph spent years in prison before seeing God’s promise fulfilled. David was an anointed king long before he wore a crown. Paul preached while carrying scars from persecution. Their stories remind us that obedience often comes long before understanding.
“Obedience often comes long before understanding.”
Perhaps that is one reason we struggle to recognize God’s voice today. We live in a culture that rewards certainty. God often invites trust. We want complete road maps. God usually gives us the next faithful step. We want guarantees. God offers presence.
The older I become, the less impressed I am by people who appear to have all the answers. Instead, I admire people who quietly remain faithful.
The Sunday school teacher who prepares every week without recognition. The caregiver who faithfully serves an aging spouse. The volunteer who shows up year after year. The believer who keeps praying after decades of waiting. These are people who have learned something profound.
Faithfulness often is ordinary before it becomes extraordinary. Perhaps God’s greatest work is not found on conference stages or behind pulpits. Perhaps it is found in ordinary people who continue saying yes long after the applause has faded.
Looking back over my own journey, I realize God’s calling rarely has been comfortable. It has stretched me. Corrected me. Humbled me. Strengthened me.
There were seasons when I wanted clearer answers. Instead, God gave me enough grace to take one more step. Then another. Then another.
Maybe that is what following Christ always has looked like. Not knowing every detail. Simply trusting the one who does.
If you find yourself questioning whether you heard God correctly, don’t let fear become the loudest voice in your life. Return to Scripture. Return to prayer. Seek wise counsel from people who know you and love the Lord.
And if, after all that, you remain convinced that God is leading you, have the courage to take the next faithful step. Because history is full of ordinary people who changed the world simply because they kept saying yes to God.
Perhaps your story isn’t waiting for everyone’s approval. Perhaps it is simply waiting for your obedience.
Phyllis Harrington is an ordained minister, author, educator and advocate. She is the founder of Break the Silence — Speak Out America and has written several books, including Christian and inspirational titles, children’s books and educational curriculum focused on child safety, prevention, healthy boundaries and leadership development. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Christian education and leadership through Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity.