“Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.”

Samuel learned obedience at a young age and set an incredible example for all of us. Samuel was being trained to be a prophet by the high priest, Eli. Unfortunately, Eli was beginning to fall into bad habits, but Samuel took a different position than his leader by seeking God in a sacred place. Because Samuel dedicated his time to being close to God, God spoke to him. Samuel did not recognize His voice at first, but as he spent time with Him, he could discern and respond.

How effective do your prayers feel right now? Do you hear God’s voice when you spend time with Him? If not, try changing your posture. A posture change could mean praying on your knees instead in your bed. It could mean worshipping in your room alone instead of only in church. The point is to create a sacred place that removes distractions. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you, silence the noise around you, and listen. When you make that space for Him, He will answer. Persevere in the challenge to stay quiet and wait for 10–15 minutes. Time with God is never time wasted.

Father, as I seek to hear your voice in a new way, teach me how to change my heart toward prayer and adjust my posture. Help me not be afraid to ask You to speak, and trust that You will. Please give me the endurance to persevere in the silence and hear what you have to say to my heart. Lord, I take on this challenge because I know an effective prayer life changes things. I ask you these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

This podcast series by Medi-Share® will help you develop a thriving prayer life and a stronger relationship with God.