If I could give any piece of advice about walking with God to anyone. It would be.

Slow down and listen.

The biggest mistake I believe we can all make is that we expect God to “keep pace” with our busy lives and we are going to just “fit HIM into” OUR schedules.

WRONG!

The secret to waiting, listening, and hearing God’s voice is slowness.

There really is no way around it.

God’s timeline is not our timeline and we so often go off on OUR timeline and start dictating to God how things will go when we ought to pause more often than not and just hear what He wants for our lives.

Life naturally get noisy. We get distracted. Our thoughts get clouded and we can’t expect to keep the noise and hear the small still voice of God.

Maybe we are afraid to slow down and hear God’s voice because we think we know what He’s going to say. But is what you have in your mind really true?

My friend, don’t forget the period of time in which you live is the most gracious period of time God has granted in history.

We have so much opportunity to just believe and trust. God is not sitting there waiting to strike you down the moment you come to Him to listen to Him.

He is giving you this time to slow down and come to Him.

While there will be the moment in History that we see Jesus coming on the clouds and time will be up. It is not yet.

So, what are we to do.

This is often the most difficult thing in this life. I myself have struggled greatly to be with God and to just sit.

So here are a few ideas and I hope you consider ways in which you can slow down and pause and listen… and wait.

Practical Steps to Hear God’s Voice

1. Have you built into your schedule a time of devotion? If you’ve never heard of the idea. What would it look like for you to start each day with 10-20 minutes in silent prayer and scripture reading and then to reflect? Take even the moments you need to journal.
2. Memorize scripture. I kid you not. The power of memorized scripture is real. I have gone through seasons where I tuck the scriptures away and then the moment will come that God uses the scriptures to remind me of his Character or to share with someone else his goodness. Don’t underestimate the power of memorizing the scriptures.
3. LOOK! This is a slightly nuanced approach to prayer, but it is simply the approach of looking for how the spirit might be prompting you or presenting to you His will throughout the day. Ask God to make plain in your heart his guidance and test what you encounter by holding those promptings up to the scriptures. If you are new to the faith I encourage you to seek wisdom from others as well as you discern the voice of the spirit.
4. Turn off your devices. I’m not just talking about your phones, iPads and computers. I even mean the fridge if you must. Hear me out. I had this mini fridge that hummed at a particularly annoying pitch and on one hand I knew it was causing a distraction, but on the other hand, I wasn’t willing to unplug it. It was empty. So, maybe there are things that are literally a distraction for your mind and you don’t even know it. Remove them. Silence really can do wonders to draw your focus.
5. Godly Counsel! Seeking Godly counsel about your circumstances or your struggles can help hone your sense of the truth and the voice of God. Seek wisdom from Godly, biblical believers, mentors, and pastors.
6. Humble Yourself. I can’t not say this, but in some sense, you may be keeping yourself from hearing from God because you are in the way. Man, I think of the tax collector and the pharisee before God. The tax collector in his humility when home justified before God. [Luke 18:9-14] Take stock of your heart and prepare it for hearing from God. You may not be ready to hear what He has to say until you humble yourself.

Final Thoughts

Hearing God’s voice isn’t necessarily about doing more or checking off more boxes. It’s about aligning yourself with His heart by becoming more sensitive to His desires. We don’t just stumble into hearing God’s voice. We intentionally go to Him in humility and spend time with Him. He is a relational God. Gracious in his ways with us. I hope you are encouraged to slow down and hear his voice to quiet the noise and be still with Him.

There’s something extraordinary that happens when we humble ourselves before God through fasting and prayer. It’s not just about skipping meals or spending a little extra time in prayer. It’s about surrender. It’s about saying, “God, I trust You more than I trust myself.” When we combine fasting and prayer, it’s like putting our faith into overdrive. We’re opening ourselves up to God’s power, clarity, and breakthroughs in ways we never imagined.

Why Fasting and Prayer Matter

From the earliest days, fasting and prayer have been a powerful combination for those seeking God. Whether it’s Moses fasting on Mount Sinai, Daniel crying out in Babylon, or Jesus Himself fasting in the wilderness, the Bible is packed with examples of people drawing closer to God through these practices.

Fasting clears out distractions. Prayer connects us to the One who holds all wisdom and power. Together, they help us shift our focus from the things of this world to the eternal.

• Moses fasted 40 days and nights, and God gave him the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28).
• Daniel fasted when he needed wisdom and insight (Daniel 9:3).
• Jesus fasted before starting His ministry, showing us the importance of preparing spiritually for what lies ahead (Matthew 4:1-11).

Fasting Without Prayer is Just a Diet

Let’s be clear: Fasting without prayer is just a diet. It’s when we pair fasting with intentional, focused prayer that the power comes. Why? Because fasting helps us quiet our flesh, and prayer allows us to focus on God’s voice.

• Fasting humbles us. We’re saying, “God, I need You more than I need my next meal.”
• Prayer aligns us. It connects us to God’s heart and will for our lives.
• Sensitivity increases. With our hearts tuned into God and our distractions minimized, we start hearing God’s voice more clearly.

Together, fasting and prayer bring spiritual clarity and empower us to stand strong in the face of challenges.

What Happens When You Fast and Pray?

You Experience Personal Transformation

When we fast, we’re taking an honest look at ourselves. The things we try to ignore or push aside are suddenly brought to the surface. It’s in these moments that God reveals areas of our hearts that need transformation.

God doesn’t just want us to go without food—He wants us to break free from sin, selfishness, and anything that separates us from Him.

• Isaiah 58:6 “Is this not the fast I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?”

Unlock Spiritual Breakthroughs

Some things won’t change without fasting and prayer. Jesus said it clearly in Matthew 17:21 when His disciples couldn’t cast out a demon. He told them, “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

There are battles in our lives—whether it’s overcoming sin, seeking deliverance, or interceding for others—that require a level of spiritual intensity. Fasting and prayer give us that extra push.

• Matthew 17:21 “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting”

You Gain Clarity in Decision-Making

When life feels overwhelming, or the future is unclear, fasting and prayer give us the space to hear God’s direction. Just as the early church fasted and prayed before major decisions (Acts 13:2-3), we too can gain clarity when we dedicate time to hear God’s voice.

How to Start Fasting and Praying

It’s easy to overcomplicate fasting, but really, it’s about being intentional. Here’s how you can start:

1. Set a Purpose: What are you seeking? Whether it’s wisdom, healing, or deeper intimacy with God, having a clear reason helps you stay focused.
2. Choose Your Fast: Decide how you will fast. It could be a full fast (water only), a partial fast (like the Daniel Fast), or even fasting from non-food items like social media.
3. Prioritize Prayer: Without prayer, fasting loses its power. Schedule times to pray throughout your fast. Spend time in Scripture, worship, and listening to God.
4. Prepare Yourself: Before fasting, prepare both physically and spiritually. Start with confession and ask God to purify your heart.

Fasting and prayer are not just ancient practices—they still transform lives today. Think of the countless testimonies from people who have fasted and prayed for breakthroughs in relationships, health, finances, and spiritual growth. God still moves in mighty ways when His people seek Him with their whole hearts.

Make Room for God to Move

Fasting and Praying are both practices God commands us to do as Christians. We see God move in His mysterious ways more clearly when we open ourselves to the spirit through these practices and prioritize Him above our physical need. Set aside time, humble yourself, and watch what God will do.

Are you ready to take a step of faith? Start by fasting and praying today—whether for a meal, a day, or a week—and experience the transformative power of God’s presence!

What does rest even mean? It seems that we are always going and the sheer concept of rest has been lost in today’s society. I’ve often found it hard to differentiate the difference between rest and slothfulness because “resting” makes me suddenly feel like I’m in danger of being lazy. Yikes!

Can you relate?

The pace in which we feel we must live greatly impacts the perception of our ability to rest.

Merriam-Webster defines rest as:

1. repose, sleep
   • specifically : a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities
2. • freedom from activity or labor
   • state of motionlessness or inactivity
   • the repose of death

Here’s the deal. We are not robots. We were created to rest. Our bodies and souls need it. We require it to function at our best in fact.

You cannot go without it.

So, taking the time the you need to rest adequately for your body is imperative.

God did not build into the calendar week a Sabbath for us to push through and do work. He did not build into the rhythm of each 24 hour cycle a period of night for continued work. He built these cycles for our bodies to rest. He considered it important enough to establish it at the beginning of creation for a reason.

So, let’s dive in and figure out how to biblically balance our need to work and to rest.

What is Biblical Rest?

Sabbath (originating from Shabbat) literally means rest and as I’ve already mentioned it, it most often refers to the 7th day of the week in which God rested after creating the heavens and the earth.

It is the day we stop work and worship God. Christians traditionally keep Sunday as a weekly “day of rest”, commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus which took place on Sunday.

When to observe Sabbath has become a controversial topic even amongst Christians. Discussing these challenges and differences is not the point of this article.

Rather, the observance of Sabbath is an important biblical practice that is God given and something we should take into account as important to our spiritual life and health.

God invites us to rest throughout scripture and to find our rest in Him. (e.g., Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 23) that highlight God’s invitation to rest.

Biblical rest differs from mere physical rest.

Finding Rest in God

There are emotional and spiritual benefits of resting especially when we find our rest in God. I just love what Hebrews 4:10 says about rest.

“For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.”

You see, I’ve spent many restless nights up without sleep and my failure to bring my anxiety and stress to God has kept me up. We’re able to reduce our anxiety and stress and finally sleep when we actually bring our burdens to Jesus as He invites us to in Matthew 11:28.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

What is so difficult about this is we must bring our burden’s to Jesus. We must intentionally do this ourselves. It requires us to recognize what is going on and to humble ourselves and hand it over to God

So, if you can’t see the correlation between your physical rest and spiritual rest. I hope you can now. They are directly related. You may never find true rest until you find your rest in the Lord. You must intentionally bring all that you have going on. Every sin, every burden, and lay them at His feet. Your body has this way of releasing the stress and anxieties that come with attempting to control it all and when they are in His hands… you will feel the release your body has been longing for.

Steps to Find Rest in God

You must Setting Aside Time for God

Commit to a daily quiet time and prayer.

Listen, read, and meditate on scripture, journal.

Create a Restful Environment

An environment with a lot of distraction, TV on, and lights bright is not what creates rest. Consider how nature sparks rest day in and day out. How the insects even follow the rhythms. Create a space and time to mirror this.

Unplug the technology, put down the devices and phones. Pick up an old fashion paper printed bible.

Embrace and Practice Spiritual Disciplines

Some of the practices such as fasting help us get in touch with these natural rhythms. Consider how fasting, solitude, and musical worship alone can prepare your heart for the deeper rest you long for.

Consider the spiritual disciplines.

Obstacles to Rest

Our triggers will have their way of keeping us from doing the things we ought for ourselves. Feelings of guilt and shame have often kept me from doing the things including rest. So, processing your emotions in the presence of God might very well be the first steps into the rest that you need. Recognizing this and then surrendering it may be the freedom you truly need

You will need to learn and recognize these patterns in your life and unpack the coping mechanisms that are not serving you well. Take the time and process them with a mentor or coach.

In today’s fast-paced world, finding rest can feel almost impossible. But rest is not a luxury—it’s a necessity, designed by God for our bodies and souls to function at their best. It’s more than just physical sleep; it’s an invitation to place our burdens before God and experience peace in His presence.

As you reflect on your own patterns of rest, consider this: True rest is found when we intentionally set aside time for God and allow Him to renew our hearts. When we practice spiritual disciplines and create environments that encourage rest, we align ourselves with the rhythms God intended for us.

So, are you ready to take that step toward biblical rest? I encourage you to start by making small changes—set aside time each day for prayer, unplug from distractions, and begin to create an environment where rest can thrive. Remember, you don’t have to carry your burdens alone. Lay them at God’s feet and discover the true rest your body, mind, and soul have been longing for.

Let’s start this journey together—find your rest in Him today.