The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10 NIV 

This is an amazing story to me. The Lord called to Samuel three times and each time he got up and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am.” Eli, after the third time, told him to go back and if He calls you again say: “Speak, for your servant is listening.” He did, and the Lord told him many things that were going to soon change.

Samuel thought the voice of the Lord was Eli. In my life I have often found that the Lord will speak to me through a familiar voice. It may be something that a mentor or a pastor once said to me, a teaching, or a song that comes back to remembrance. It is sometimes easy to miss that it is actually the Lord speaking until things start to change. 

When going about your daily life, listen for that small “familiar” voice. It just may be that the Lord wants to tell you some things. A timely word from the Holy Spirit changes everything.