Circumstantially Speaking  – Greg Laurie Devotion – March 07, 2026

Biblical Context

The Book of Judges tells the story of Israel after Joshua’s death, before the monarchy began. It describes a tough time when “everyone did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25). God raised up ‘judges’—who were military leaders and deliverers—to save His people from their oppressors when they cried out to Him. Gideon’s story unfolds in chapters 6 through 8. He’s called to rescue Israel from the Midianites, who had made life very hard for them for seven years. The writer of Judges isn’t named, but Jewish tradition often points to Samuel. It’s a record of God’s faithfulness even when His people are not faithful, showing His grace in delivering them time and again.

Key Word Study

The word we’re looking at is ‘fleece’ from Judges 6:37. In Hebrew, it’s גִּזָּה (gizzah). This word means ‘sheared wool’ or, simply, ‘fleece.’ It speaks to a specific, tangible item, raw and unprocessed. In Gideon’s time, wool was a common material. A fleece wasn’t just any small piece of cloth; it was a large, heavy mass of wool. For it to be soaked with dew while the ground around it stayed perfectly dry was a very unnatural event. Gideon picked something specific, something real, for God to use to show His power.

God Speaks in Many Ways

The Bible makes it clear that God is multilingual; He can speak to us in any number of ways. He’s not limited to just one method. He speaks to us through His Word, certainly, which is always our foundation for truth. He speaks to us through prayer, as we talk to Him and listen for His presence. He speaks to us through our conscience, that inner sense that helps us know right from wrong.

The Bible also records several instances in which God spoke to people through dreams and visions, guiding them or giving them messages about what was to come. These are all real ways God connects with us.

God Speaks Through Circumstances

God also speaks through circumstances. Now, you shouldn’t base every major life decision on circumstances alone, but there are times when they act as clear signals. I’ve personally sensed that something was the will of God, and then had that feeling confirmed when things fell into place circumstantially. It’s like seeing pieces of a puzzle just fit together perfectly without you forcing them.

At other times, circumstances have made it obvious that God was saying no to a particular path or request. Maybe a door closed that you really wanted to open, or an unexpected obstacle came up, showing you clearly that wasn’t the way to go. It’s a clear way for God to communicate His direction to us.

Gideon’s Circumstantial Test

A classic example of God speaking through circumstances can be found in His calling of Gideon to rescue the people of Israel. Gideon was an extremely humble man, almost to a fault. He didn’t see himself as a rescuer, and he had a hard time wrapping his head around the notion that God saw him in such a light. It felt too big for him.

So, he humbly put God to the test. He asked for a clear, undeniable sign using the elements around him. Here’s what he asked God: “Then Gideon said to God, ‘If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised’” (Judges 6:36–37 nlt).

God graciously did as Gideon asked. He intervened ever so slightly in the process of condensation to confirm Gideon’s calling. It wasn’t a booming voice from heaven, but a miracle in nature that showed His power. He spoke through those circumstances, reassuring Gideon directly.

Jonah’s Lessons in Circumstance

In the story of Jonah, God spoke to His prophet through circumstances that involved, among other things, a storm at sea. God got Jonah’s attention by allowing a fierce storm to happen when Jonah was trying to run from Him. Jonah 1:4 tells us: “But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.”

Then, after Jonah was thrown overboard, God used a giant fish to save him and teach him a lesson. Jonah 1:17 states: “And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

Later, after Jonah preached to Nineveh, God used a leafy plant to give Jonah shade and comfort from the heat. Jonah 4:6 says: “Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.”

And to really drive a lesson home about compassion, God sent a hungry worm to make that plant wither. Jonah 4:7 explains: “But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered.” Every one of these situations, from the storm to the worm, was God talking to Jonah, guiding him, and teaching him.

God Still Speaks Today

God still speaks to us through circumstances today. Often, those circumstances involve other people. There have been times when I was listening to someone preach or talking with a friend and suddenly realized that what the person was saying addressed a situation that I was going through—even though the person was completely unaware of my circumstances.

It makes you realize that God Himself was speaking to you through those individuals. Maybe God has spoken to you through a pastor or a Christian friend, saying just the right thing at the right time. Or perhaps He has been speaking to you through other circumstances—little things that happen, things that line up in an unusual way, or unexpected openings and closings of doors.

Listen carefully and remember that God will never contradict His Word. His voice, whether through circumstances or others, will always line up with the truth of the Bible. Pay attention to those moments where things just seem to click.

Reflect and Listen

Take a moment to think about this question today: How might God be speaking to you through circumstances in your life? Listen carefully, because He’s always talking.