I Heard A Voice
The Prompt
My alarm sounded at 6:17 a.m. Normally, I let my eyes rest for a few moments before reaching for my phone and falling into the same familiar rhythm: text messages, work email, work schedule, personal email, GroupMe, a quick scroll through social media, and then a glance at the local and national news. Every single day, in that order.
But this particular morning was different.
I leaned over and turned the blazing sound off and before my hand could fully embrace the phone, I was stopped in my tracks by an internal prompt whispering to me, Do not pick up your phone. Rest. I was too tired in the moment to second guess this inside voice speaking to me so without argument, I curled back into my warm spot underneath the sheets, where I felt safe. It was in the next little moment when I began awakening that my mind began frantically wondering where this prompt came from. I was skeptical. I’d only recently invited Jesus into my life, so this “voice,” “prompt,” “sensation” (whatever it was) was new; unsettling, strange, and deeply moving all at once.
The prompt didn’t stop there. It continued throughout the morning and when the house finally grew quiet, instead of the routine logging into work, I sat down in my chair (Rosie Marie by my side), holding the closed Bible in my lap, and prayed out loud: God, if this is you, make it clear. I felt torn between thinking I might be losing my mind and hoping with everything in me that it was Him. I asked for clarity, and the answer I sensed led me straight to Romans 8. The moment I read over those verses, relief washed over me. Confirmation: I am truly born anew. Let’s read together:
Excerpt from Bible Gateway Online NIV, www.biblegateway.com, Accessed 28Aug2026
Who Is This Speaking to Me?
I think we are all designed to be relational. We crave connection. We want to know people, and we want to be known. So when I began sensing this voice within me, my immediate response was simple: Who is this speaking to me?
I wanted to know who was prompting me, guiding me, and getting my attention. Was this simply my own mind? Was it something else? Or was it the Holy Spirit?
Much like Lee Strobel (author of A Case for Christ), who set out to make a case against Christianity and was ultimately transformed by what he discovered, I have found myself on a journey to better understand and encounter the Holy Spirit I have been given.
Over the last ten days I’ve been diving into Romans 8, studying the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. As part of this quest, I initially set out to answer these questions:
1. What/Who is the Holy Spirit?
2. Where Is It Referenced and How Many Times?
3. How Can I Know it’s the Holy Spirit speaking to me?
4. How Do I Learn to obey the Holy Spirit?
In seeking answers, more questions arise and I pursue them like rabbit holes. My quest won't stop; it will continue, and I am learning.
I continue to meditate on Romans 8, read commentaries about the same, lean into a couple of confidantes for guidance, and at the time of this writing am currently reading a recommended book entitled “Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit” by Francis Chen. A lot of what I am learning feels sacred to my own struggle and will remain between me, the Lord, and my husband. But what I do want to share here is this: when we accept Jesus and repent, we are not left to our own devices. We are given the Holy Spirit who is a companion, teacher, and guide.
The way the Holy Spirit speaks to you may look different from the way He speaks to me. I had a conversation just this week with a close friend who shared how the Spirit speaks to her, and there was definite variation. But the truth remains: He speaks to each of us in a way that is specific and personal. We just have to be still enough to listen.
Learning to recognize the Spirit’s voice takes practice. It requires asking honest questions: Does this urge cultivate greater love and unity, or does it push me toward self-exaltation? Does this ambition build others up and does it reflect the fruit of the Spirit?
Let me pause and reflect on the fruits of the Spirit found in the book of Galatians: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Life With the Holy Spirit
We were not made to live bound by unrepented sin. Sin tears us down, pulls us away from who God created us to be, and keeps us chained to a lesser way of living. But there is a better way: repentance and relationship with Christ. And I am learning that walking closely with Christ also means learning to walk closely with the Holy Spirit He has given us.
When we repent and turn from our sin, we are invited into life with Him and that life is filled with the Spirit. Isn’t that the better way? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are not temporary feelings or fleeting moments of satisfaction (similar to the effects of indulging in sin) yet they are lasting promises and evidence of a life surrendered to God.
And when I say sin, I mean all sin. No matter how the world ranks it, excuses it, or categorizes it, if it keeps us from relationship with Him, it has to be eliminated from our lives.
A Personal Note
This week has been difficult, but I’m learning to listen, to surrender, and to obey. The consequences of sin are real and painful, yet even in suffering there can be joy and I’m experiencing joy in my life. I’m learning to stay in constant communication with the Holy Spirit and to rely on Him in every decision. I’m not perfect. There are moments of disobedience and doubt, but He draws me back because I remain committed to the Word, to prayer, and to filling my mind with what honors Him: cleaned-up playlists, meaningful fellowship, and godly counsel. Speaking of cleaned-up playlists, for all you Zach Bryan fans, check out Noah Rinker. Thank me later ;)
Transformation isn’t instant; it’s a lifelong process. My prayer is that my life would overflow with the fruits of the Spirit in every word and action and that the same would be true for you.
Ashley’s Recommended Resources for seasons of Brokenness
Bible: Romans 8 and Romans 8 Commentary
Book: Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit, Frances Chan
Spotify Audio: The Spirit’s Work in Transformation, Voddie Bauchman
Music Playlist Selection: Yes, Nate Diaz; Greatness of God, CeCe Winans; and Save My Soul, Noah Rinker
Disclaimer: This article was self-written and not the product of AI. Any use of dashes was intentionally placed by the author.