Discerning the Voice of God
One of the most impactful insights from Celisse’s interview on the latest episode of the I Am M.U.C.H. Woman Podcast was not just her courage to trust and follow the Lord, but her ability to wait on Him. I especially resonated with her statement that she didn’t want to get ahead of God. This deeply spoke to me because, if I’m honest, I’ve often found myself doing just that—starting a plan with God, then saying, “Thanks, Lord, I’ve got it from here.” Instead of staying with Him through the entire journey, I’ve taken matters into my own hands.
Reflecting on my own life, I now see how my decisions were shaped by my desire to “take control” instead of letting God direct my steps. I find myself asking, What would have happened if I had waited on God’s timing, fully trusting His plan for me? Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” And of course, there’s Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”
But how do we know when it’s truly God guiding us? I’ve come to realize that discerning God’s voice starts with deepening our prayer life and immersing ourselves in His Word. There is heart work to be done first—a surrender of our own desires, our own agendas. Only then can we fully hear His voice.
Over the past two weeks, I’ve been diving deep into the Book of James, both solo and with two of my wonderful friend-girls. During our study, we learned that the Book of James was the first written book in the New Testament, about 500 years after the last book of the Old Testament and a decade after the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. Why is this important? Because James addresses the trials, suffering, and difficulty that come with following Christ. Yet, he encourages us to “consider it all joy,” because suffering produces character, endurance, and patience. In the midst of hardship, we are called to depend on God. Through trials, we learn how to truly rely on Him.
Take Job, for example. He faced extreme suffering, yet in my favorite verse from the Book of Job, he says in chapter 42:5, “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.” To truly see God in the face of difficulty teaches us to know Him, trust Him, and ultimately surrender to His will. You may recall this process of surrender from Celisse’s story. When we learn to surrender fully to the Lord, we are better able to discern His voice.
But once again, we cannot surrender without cultivating a personal relationship with Him—through prayer and by reading His Word.
If reading the Bible feels difficult because understanding it seems overwhelming, I’m praying for you right now. I pray that God will provide fellow believers in your life to help you rightly divide His Word and understand the truth. Learning about God and His Word changes everything.
To God be the Glory, Forever and Ever. Amen.