How God Speaks Through Other People (Even Difficult Ones)

Your friend calls at exactly the moment you needed to hear a kind voice. Your mentor says something that perfectly addresses the question you’ve been wrestling with all week. A stranger in line at Starbucks makes an offhand comment that suddenly makes everything click.

Most of us recognize these moments as God speaking through others. But what about when your biggest critic points out a blind spot you needed to see? When your difficult coworker unknowingly challenges you to grow in patience? When that person who drives you crazy actually delivers exactly the message your heart needed to hear?

Plot twist: God doesn’t only speak through the people we like or the ones who make us feel good. Sometimes His clearest messages come through the most unexpected—and yes, even difficult—messengers.

God’s Surprising Messenger Service

In the Bible, God spoke through a donkey to get Balaam’s attention. If He can use a donkey, He can definitely use your passive-aggressive coworker, your critical family member, or that friend who always seems to say the wrong thing at the wrong time.

God isn’t limited by our preferences about who delivers His messages. He’s more interested in getting through to us than in making sure we like the messenger.

When Difficult People Deliver Divine Messages

The critic who’s actually right. That person who always seems to find fault might occasionally point out something you genuinely need to address. It stings because there’s truth in it, even if their delivery could use work.

The challenger who pushes you to grow. Some people bring out character qualities you didn’t know you had—like patience, forgiveness, or the ability to stay calm under pressure. They’re not trying to develop these traits in you, but God might be using their difficulty to do exactly that.

The mirror holder who reflects your own issues. Sometimes the thing that annoys you most about someone else is actually something you struggle with too. God might be using their behavior to show you something about yourself.

The unlikely encourager. Occasionally, the person who usually criticizes you will say something surprisingly affirming, and it hits differently because you weren’t expecting it from them.

Learning to Listen Past the Packaging

The key is learning to separate the message from the messenger—and sometimes, the message from the delivery method.

Your mom might nag you about your spending habits, but underneath the nagging might be wisdom about financial responsibility. Your boss might be harsh in their feedback, but buried in their criticism might be insights that actually help you improve. Your difficult friend might say something thoughtless, but mixed in with their words might be a perspective you needed to hear.

Ask yourself:

• Is there any truth in what they’re saying, even if I don’t like how they’re saying it?
• What might God want me to learn from this interaction?
• Is this person revealing something about my character that I need to work on?
• Could this difficulty be God’s way of developing something in me?

When God Uses Conflict for Growth

Sometimes God allows difficult people in our lives not to punish us, but to grow us. That person who tests your patience might be developing your ability to love unconditionally. The one who challenges your ideas might be strengthening your convictions or showing you where you need to be more flexible.

It’s not that God causes people to be difficult, but He can use difficult situations to develop character in us that couldn’t be developed any other way.

The Difference Between God’s Voice and Human Opinion

Just because God can speak through anyone doesn’t mean everything everyone says is from Him. Here’s how to tell the difference:

God’s voice through others typically:

• Aligns with His character and Scripture
• Brings conviction but also hope for change
• Challenges you to grow in love, patience, or righteousness
• Might be hard to hear but ultimately leads to freedom
• Often comes with a sense of “I needed to hear that”

Human opinion (even when well-intentioned) often:

• Reflects the person’s own issues or preferences
• Brings condemnation without offering hope or solutions
• Tries to control or manipulate your choices
• Contradicts what God has clearly shown you
• Leaves you feeling confused or distant from God

Practical Ways to Listen for God’s Voice in Others

Stay open, but discerning. Don’t dismiss everything difficult people say, but don’t accept everything either. Filter it through prayer and Scripture.

Look for patterns. If multiple people are saying similar things about the same issue, it might be worth paying attention, even if you don’t like hearing it.

Consider the fruit. Is what they’re saying leading you toward greater love, patience, kindness, and faithfulness? Or is it leading you toward bitterness, fear, or distance from God?

Pray before reacting. Instead of immediately getting defensive, ask God if there’s something He wants you to hear in the interaction.

When Others Speak God’s Encouragement

Don’t forget that God also uses people to speak life, encouragement, and hope into your situation. That text from a friend when you’re struggling, the unexpected compliment from someone, the person who believes in your dream when you’re ready to give up—these are often God’s voice too.

Sometimes God’s most powerful messages come through the simple kindness of others, the friend who listens without judging, or the person who sees potential in you that you can’t see in yourself.

The Ultimate Filter

No matter who the messenger is or what they’re saying, always run it through the ultimate filter: does this align with God’s character and His Word? Does it lead you toward greater love for Him and others? Does it bring freedom or bondage?

God’s voice, no matter who delivers it, will always point you back to Him and toward becoming more like Jesus.

A Prayer for Discernment

God, help me hear Your voice no matter who You choose to speak through. Give me wisdom to separate Your messages from human opinion. When difficult people challenge me, help me see what You might want me to learn. When encouraging people speak life over me, help me receive it as from You. Most of all, help me stay close enough to You that I can recognize Your voice in any situation. Amen.

The Beautiful Truth

God loves you enough to speak to you through anyone and everyone—the people who encourage you and the people who challenge you, the ones who build you up and the ones who (hopefully constructively) point out areas for growth.

He’s not limited by personality types, communication styles, or even people’s motives. He can use anyone to get His message to you because He’s that determined to guide, correct, encourage, and love you through your journey.

Stay open. Stay discerning. And get ready to be surprised by the unexpected ways He chooses to speak into your life.

Who has been an unexpected messenger of God’s voice in your life? Sometimes the most impactful messages come through the most surprising people.