012 When Did We Stop Listening to God’s Voice?

When Did We Stop Listening to God’s Voice?

When did the breakdown occur? When did people stop hearing God’s voice and, more importantly, stop listening to it?

We don’t have to look far to find the answer. It goes all the way back to the beginning—Genesis 3.

In Genesis 3:8–10, we read:
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’ He answered, ‘I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.’”

What a heartbreaking shift. Adam and Eve once walked with God—walking, talking, and fellowshipping with Him in the beauty of the garden. This wasn’t an occasional occurrence; it was their norm. Imagine the richness of that relationship! The Creator of the universe was accessible and present. They could ask Him anything, hear Him speak, and delight in His companionship.

But then something happened. Sin entered the scene, and everything changed.

Sin: The Root of the Breakdown

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, their response to Him shifted. Instead of running to Him, they hid from Him. The voice they had once delighted in now caused fear and shame. Sin created a rift—a separation that made them afraid of the very One who loved them most.

Isn’t it interesting that their first instinct was to hide? And what triggered that response? Hearing God’s voice. The voice that had once brought joy and peace now stirred guilt and fear.

This isn’t just their story; it’s ours too. Sin, shame, and fear have caused many of us to shrink back from hearing God. We’re afraid of what He might say or how He might respond.

Why Are We Afraid to Hear God?

Even today, many of us avoid listening to God’s voice because we think He’s angry with us. I’ve been there myself. I knew in my mind that God was loving, but something deep inside made me feel like I had gone too far—that my sin was too great and He was just done with me. I saw Him more like an angry principal waiting to punish me than a loving Father ready to restore me.

For others, the fear looks a little different. We’re afraid that if we truly listen to God, He’ll ask us to do something we don’t want to do:

• “He’s going to send me to Africa.”
• “He’ll make me marry someone I don’t want to marry.”
• “He’s going to ruin my plans and take away my happiness.”

There’s this underlying fear that God is a killjoy—that He’s out to make us miserable. So, instead of leaning in and listening, we keep Him at arm’s length. We try to figure things out on our own, convinced we’ll be happier that way.

God’s Voice Brings Life, Not Misery

Here’s the truth: nothing could be further from the character of God. He’s not out to make us miserable. In fact, hearing God’s voice is one of the most incredible joys of life. When we hear Him, we experience His peace, His presence, and His purpose in ways we could never manufacture on our own.

God’s voice doesn’t take away life—it gives it. Yes, sometimes He asks us to do hard things, but even then, His requests are for our good. Recently, God prompted me to reach out to people, confess my pride, and ask for their forgiveness. Let me tell you, that was not an easy thing to do. Pride hates to be exposed, and I felt its resistance every step of the way.

But I knew something: God hates pride, and I don’t want it in my life. Exposing it and confessing it meant kicking pride in the teeth. And you know what? On the other side of obedience, I felt incredible joy and peace. I know that when God calls me to something like this, He’s setting me up for something amazing.

That’s what He’s like. That’s His character. He’s not asking you to obey so He can punish you; He’s inviting you into freedom, joy, and deeper intimacy with Him.

Restoring What Was Lost

So how do we get back to that place—back to the garden, back to the joy of hearing God’s voice without fear or shame?

It starts with recognizing the truth about who God is. He’s not the angry, distant authority figure you may have imagined. He’s a loving Father who delights in speaking to His children.

When you learn to trust Him and obey what He says, you’ll experience His goodness in ways you never thought possible. You’ll see Him work miracles, answer prayers, and guide you into the fullness of life He’s promised.

Yes, sometimes He’ll ask you to do things that are uncomfortable or challenging. But He does so because He loves you and has something incredible in store for you.

Are You Listening?

If you’ve been hiding from God’s voice, it’s time to come out of hiding. God isn’t mad at you. He isn’t waiting to punish you. He’s calling you, just as He called Adam: “Where are you?”

His voice is full of love, grace, and truth. Whatever He asks of you, you can trust Him. He’s got something beautiful planned.

So listen. Lean in. Obey. And watch what happens. You’ll discover that hearing God’s voice isn’t something to fear—it’s something to treasure.