For centuries, we’ve been trying to open ourselves to the voice of God and to understand what He’s telling us. It would be nice if He sent a burning bush or an angel whenever He wants to tell us something, but often His voice is much more subtle. In How to Hear the Voice of God and Understand It, Adam Hogue teaches us how to hear it, no matter how soft it might be, and to figure out exactly what it’s saying.
A Way to Fight Sin
Hogue points out that sin is a constant temptation and explains that this is why it’s critically important to be aware of what God is saying. By not listening to His voice, we get stuck in a pattern of sin. Being open to God is what gets us off that dangerous path.
Of course, you don’t “hear” God literally, and that’s where it often gets tricky for people. Not only to they miss God’s voice, but they’re often not sure why they even need to pay attention to it. Humans are willful, and it’s easy to get hung up in controlling our own lives instead of remembering that we’ve committed them to Christ.
A Healthy Dose of Scripture
The Bible is God’s Word, so it’s a good starting place to get in touch with Him. Hogue uses Scripture throughout the book to back up what he’s saying. For example, he shares Deuteronomy’s admonishment to hear and obey His voice:
You shall walk after Yahweh your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and you shall serve him, and cleave to him. —Deuteronomy 13:4
Another useful element is the fact that Hogue points out some common mistakes we make. You might think you’re doing things right, but he points out ways in which you might actually be missing what God is telling you or misunderstanding it. He also emphasized the importance of having a passion for Christ.
Written for Everyone
One of the best things about this book is that it’s written for the everyday Christian. It drills down a deep theological question in an understandable way that you can actually use to strengthen your relationship with God. However, Hogue’s style does get a little heavy handed at times. It would be nice to read his thoughts in a more conversational tone rather than something that sounds like a Sunday sermon at times.
Despite that, this book has something in it for everyone if you can make it through the labored parts and absorb its overall message. It’s good for people who are new to Christianity and who aren’t yet in a close relationship with God, because they’re not sure how that works. For those who’ve been Christians for years, it reinforces points they already know and gives some new ideas.
Needs Quality Control
Unfortunately, this book contains quite a few grammar and punctuation errors, as though the editor didn’t do a thorough job. Since it’s self-publishing, there’s a possibility that it wasn’t edited by an outside party at all. If you’re a stickler for detail, the mistakes will distract from the content, and that’s a real shame. A bit more editorial polish would have helped make this book come across as more professional.
Hogue is also the author of How to Hear the Voice of God Clearly and Easily in 5 Simple Steps, another short book that covers similar ground. This one is also good for a quick and simple read. He favors writing short and sweet books that readers can get through quickly and put into practice right away, like The Seven Spiritual Habits That Will Change Your Life Forever and The Seven Most Powerful Prayers That Will Change Your Life Forever. Most of these books are inexpensive Kindle editions that let you load up to have inspirational reading available any time on your device.
If you want something more hands-on and interactive, consider a journaling book like Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. Young offers daily snippets in the form of Jesus actually speaking to the reader. They’re all based on Scripture, with space to write down your thoughts on what each day’s reading means to you.
However, if you want a quick and helpful guide to listening and connecting with the Lord, How to Hear the Voice of God and Understand it is a good choice, It’s a quick read that will leave you with information you can use.