Episode 60
60 | 3 Simple Questions to Discern God’s Voice
Do you ever find yourself wondering…is that thought in your mind from God—or is it just you?
As a Catholic mom, life can feel busy and full, making it difficult to slow down and truly hear God’s voice. And when you’re trying to follow His plan for your life and your purpose, that uncertainty can leave you feeling stuck or second-guessing your next step.
In this episode, I’m walking you through a simple and faith-rooted approach to discernment—so you can begin recognizing when God is speaking in your everyday life. We’ll talk about how to filter what you’re hearing through truth, how to notice what’s happening interiorly, and how to take your next step with more peace and confidence.
If you’ve been desiring clarity, wanting to grow in your trust in God, or longing to better understand how He speaks through Scripture, prayer, and Catholic devotion—this episode will meet you right where you are.
This is a practical starting point to help you discern God’s voice in the middle of your busy life—so you can move forward with greater confidence in His plan.
I pray that this episode blesses and encourages you!
Michelle
✨ Next Steps:
- Join the Facebook community — Here
- Subscribe to the weekly The Inner Flame — Here
- Take "What is my God-Given purpose: Where to Begin?" quiz — Here
- Book a 1:1 Discernment Coaching Session — Here
✨ Email: hello@michellebrannam.com
✨ Website: https://MichelleBrannam.com
✨ Listen to Related Episodes:
- 02 | Quiet Moments with God: Simple Steps to Hear His Voice
- 05 | Is it God? How to Recognize His Voice Amidst the Noise?
- 17 | The Truth about Hearing God's Voice: 3 Things You can Do Now as a Busy Catholic Mom
Transcript
That's not how God leads.
Speaker A:That's often where the enemy tries to step in and pull you away.
Speaker A:Do you ever find yourself wondering, is that God's voice or is that just me?
Speaker A:In today's episode, I'm going to be walking you through a simple, faith filled way to start discerning God's voice with more clarity so you can stop second guessing and start taking your next step with him in peace.
Speaker A:Whether you're driving, folding laundry or multitasking right now, lean in.
Speaker A:This is one you're going to want to hear.
Speaker A:If you're tired of feeling unsure about your purpose because you don't know how to hear God clearly and you want simple, faith rooted steps to discern his will and move forward with confidence, you are in the right place.
Speaker A:I'm Michelle, a cradle Catholic mom of three and a discernment coach for Catholic women.
Speaker A:I learned how to move from confusion and overthinking to hearing God's voice clearly and moving forward with confidence and as well.
Speaker A:So if you're ready to grow closer to God, begin discovering how God uniquely made you and experience that mindset transformation.
Speaker A:Grab that laundry, pop in those earbuds and let's go.
Speaker A:I get it.
Speaker A:Your days are full.
Speaker A:Between caring for your family, managing work or home responsibilities and you're trying to carve out a moment for yourself, the idea of adding one more thing feels impossible.
Speaker A:That's exactly how I felt when I was searching for my purpose.
Speaker A:I didn't think I had time to figure it out, let alone discern it with God in a way that just felt peaceful and doable.
Speaker A:But what I discovered is this.
Speaker A:You don't need hours of free time.
Speaker A:You need a path that works in the season of life you're in and someone to walk you through it that has done the heavy lifting.
Speaker A:That is why I offer discernment coaching, a one to one session designed to help you uncover your unique God given purpose and the small pockets of time that you do have.
Speaker A:We'll create a doable but a grace filled plan together so you can stop feeling stuck and start moving forward.
Speaker A:Go now to michellebranum.com coaching that is M I C H E L L E B-R-A-N-N-A-M.com coaching and the link is also in the episode description.
Speaker A:Let's do this step by step with God leading the way.
Speaker A:Let's dive in.
Speaker A:Discerning God's voice can feel honestly confusing sometimes because he doesn't speak to us in a way that is an audible voice like, you and I are talking right now.
Speaker A:So one of the biggest questions that comes up is, when?
Speaker A:Was that God or was that just me?
Speaker A:And if you've ever wondered that, you're not alone.
Speaker A:I've heard it from so many other Catholic women, and I've even asked that question many times myself, especially before I started this podcast.
Speaker A:I remember feeling this pull in my heart to start a podcast, but I didn't want to just jump into it.
Speaker A:I didn't want it to be my idea.
Speaker A:I wanted to know, is this actually God leading me?
Speaker A:And at one point, I even thought maybe my podcast should be around miscarriages, since I experienced one.
Speaker A:And while that was meaningful to me, I had to pause and really discern God.
Speaker A:Is this from you, or is this something I want to do?
Speaker A:And that's when I really became intentional about learning how to discern his voice.
Speaker A:I started diving into teachings from Catholic priests, bishops, and trusted theologians because I didn't want to guess.
Speaker A:I wanted to know how God actually speaks and how to recognize when it's Him.
Speaker A:And what I've learned made things so much simpler, not necessarily easier, but clearer.
Speaker A:So today, I want to walk you through just a simple way to begin discerning whether you're hearing it's from God or from yourself.
Speaker A:So when it comes to discerning God's voice, the first thing to ask is, does this align with God's truth?
Speaker A:Because God will never contradict Himself.
Speaker A:He's not going to lead you in a way that goes against Scripture or tweaks the truth.
Speaker A:So if what you're hearing doesn't line up with the Bible, it's not from Him.
Speaker A:So this is why spending time in God's Word matters so much.
Speaker A:Because the more familiar you are with his truth and his voice, the easier it is to recognize his voice.
Speaker A:And you don't have to second guess as much, because you already know what he says.
Speaker A:And then right alongside that, you want to ask, does it follow the Ten Commandments?
Speaker A:Does it follow with what the Church teaches?
Speaker A:Because Jesus founded the Catholic Church, so He's not going to lead you outside of it.
Speaker A:And if you're unsure, the Catholicism of the Catholic Church is such a helpful resource.
Speaker A:But you don't have to figure this out on your own, because God gives us the Church to help us, to guide us in truth.
Speaker A:And the next question you want to ask is, what emotion does this voice bring you?
Speaker A:Does it bring peace, calm?
Speaker A:Or does it bring worry, pressure, fear?
Speaker A:God's voice brings peace and it might stretch you, but it won't rush you or leave you anxious.
Speaker A:So if you're feeling frantic, overwhelmed, or pushed, that's not how God leads.
Speaker A:That's often where the enemy tries to step in and pull you away.
Speaker A:And then ask yourself this.
Speaker A:Does that voice lead you in truth or does it lead you away?
Speaker A:Does it lead you towards God, or does it pull you further away from him?
Speaker A:Again, Satan, he will try to lead you away.
Speaker A:Now, let's say you've gone through all of that and you know it speaks truth, God's truth, and it follows the Ten Commandments and the Catholic Church teachings.
Speaker A:So now what?
Speaker A:How do I know if it's my voice because I want this or God's voice?
Speaker A:And this is where most people just skip this step.
Speaker A:You actually have to give God space to speak.
Speaker A:Have you slowed down to actually hear him?
Speaker A:Because sometimes we're saying we're trying to discern, but we've already made up our mind or we rushed into something without ever creating that space for him to speak.
Speaker A:And that time, because God speaks in silence through scripture and through trusted voices.
Speaker A:But if we're constantly moving, we're scrolling, we're deciding, we're reacting, we can miss him, so we need to bring it back to God.
Speaker A:Have you asked God for clarification?
Speaker A:And I'll literally ask him, God, is this what I think you said?
Speaker A:And I'll tell it what it is.
Speaker A:Is that correct?
Speaker A:And then I listen and I look for confirmation.
Speaker A:And I'll be honest, there have been times when I thought he said something and I didn't move.
Speaker A:And then he became more persistent.
Speaker A:It just felt like he was getting a little louder with me, like, okay, Michelle, I need you to do this.
Speaker A:I've been telling you this.
Speaker A:I telling you this again.
Speaker A:Now, if you're listening and you're thinking, okay, this is helpful, but I still feel unsure of what God is asking me to do.
Speaker A:You don't have to figure this out on your own.
Speaker A:This is exactly what we do inside my discernment coaching.
Speaker A:We'll take what you're hearing, what you're sensing, and we'll walk through together.
Speaker A:Just step by step with God at the center so you can move forward with clarity and peace in the season you're in.
Speaker A:So if you're feeling that nudge, go to michellebranum.com coaching and I would love to walk alongside you in this.
Speaker A:So to recap the three things, if it doesn't align with scripture or the Catholic Church, it's not from God.
Speaker A:And pay attention to those emotions and direction.
Speaker A:It should bring you peace and lead you closer to him.
Speaker A:And then you want to slow down, make space and ask God for clarification.
Speaker A:Let's take this to prayer.
Speaker A:In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:God, help me to recognize your voice above all others.
Speaker A:Give me the wisdom to know what is from you and the peace to trust what you reveal.
Speaker A:Quiet my thoughts, slow my heart, and lead me clearly in your truth.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Now let's take this from head to heart, knowing that truth is powerful, but that real change comes when we act just one small step at a time.
Speaker A:If you're currently trying to discern something, set aside a few quiet moments with your notebook or journal and just create space for God and reflect on does this align with God's truth?
Speaker A:What emotion does this voice bring me and where does it lead me?
Speaker A:And then don't rush it.
Speaker A:Just sit with him and just sit with these questions.
Speaker A:And if you're still feeling unsure, come join us inside the Facebook community Finding youg Purpose, Discernment and Strategy for Catholic Moms where I can help guide you as you walk through this.
Speaker A:Remember, my beautiful sister in Christ that God uniquely created you for a new purpose.
Speaker A:You were made to do great things.
Speaker A:God is within you and he will not fail.
Speaker A:I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Speaker A:I'll meet you next Tuesday for another conversation.
Speaker A:Until then, may God bless you and bring you peace.
Speaker A:I hope you enjoyed today's episode.
Speaker A:If so, take 30 seconds to share it with a friend who's feeling unsure about her purpose and want simple, faith filled steps to discern God's will.
Speaker A:And if you've learned something today, please leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts.
Speaker A:It lights me up to know that this show is helping you.
Speaker A:Okay, time to tackle the laundry and unload the dishwasher.
Speaker A:Gotta go.
Speaker A:I'll see you next Tuesday for another conversation.
