Tag Archives: distractions

How to Hear the Voice of God

Posted on by

One of my favorite posts I wrote in 2021 was about hearing the voice of God. Looking back at it now, I realize how much my understanding has grown.

For many people, especially those who aren’t Christians, the idea of “hearing the voice of God” sounds strange—maybe even a little crazy. They picture an audible voice from heaven or someone claiming God told them something dramatic.

But that’s not what I mean.

I believe God is speaking far more often than we realize. The real question isn’t whether He is speaking. The question is whether our hearts and minds are positioned to hear Him.

When I was first learning to discern God’s voice from my own thoughts, I relied heavily on a checklist I learned from Joyce Meyer’s book How to Hear the Voice of God. It was incredibly helpful because it taught me to ask questions like:

  • Does this line up with Scripture?
  • Have I received confirmation from trusted believers or unexpected circumstances?
  • Does this reflect God’s character?

Those questions are still valuable. They can protect us from confusing our own desires with God’s leading.

But over time, I’ve realized that hearing God isn’t about mastering a checklist.

It’s about maintaining a relationship.

Think about someone you love deeply. You don’t have to wonder if it’s their voice every time they call. After enough conversations, you recognize it because you’ve spent time with them.

The same is true with God.

The more time you spend with Him, the more familiar His voice becomes.

That doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through consistency.

Reading His Word. Praying. Sitting quietly. Obeying what He’s already shown you. Paying attention throughout your day. None of those things have to take hours, but they do need to become a regular part of your life.

That’s how you build the muscle of discernment.

Little by little, God’s voice becomes easier to recognize, and the other voices become easier to filter out.

The voice of fear.

The voice of your inner critic.

The voice of social media.

The voice of culture telling you who you should be.

The voice of comparison.

Paul writes in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Renewing our minds isn’t just about thinking more positively. It’s about replacing the world’s messages with God’s truth until His voice becomes the one we naturally recognize.

I’ve also learned that God often speaks in ordinary ways. Through His Word. Through conviction from the Holy Spirit. Through wise counsel. Through recurring lessons that keep showing up until we finally pay attention. Sometimes we spend months asking God for a new answer when He’s waiting for us to obey the last thing He already showed us.

God isn’t trying to hide from us.

He wants to be known.

But He also won’t force a relationship.

He’s a filler, not a forcer. He fills the space we intentionally make for Him, but He won’t compete with every distraction we choose instead.

That makes me think of Pharaoh. The Bible repeatedly talks about his hardened heart. God gave him opportunity after opportunity to respond, but he kept resisting. I wonder how often we do the same. Not because we don’t believe God can speak, but because we’ve allowed our hearts to become distracted, busy, fearful, or simply unwilling to listen.

If you’re struggling to hear God’s voice today, maybe don’t start by asking Him to say something new.

Instead, ask yourself:

Have I created space to hear Him?

Am I spending enough time with Him to recognize His voice?

Is there something He’s already been trying to show me that I’ve overlooked?

The beautiful thing is that God isn’t waiting for us to get everything right before He speaks. He’s inviting us into a relationship where, over time, His voice becomes more familiar than all the others.

Reflection Question

What voice has been the loudest in your life lately, and what is one practical way you can make more room to hear God’s voice this week?

Until next time,

Dominique

Minimalist adjacent

Posted on by

Have you ever heard the term “minimalist” and thought it meant getting rid of everything you own and living in an empty room? That was my initial impression too. But as I delved deeper into the concept, I discovered that minimalist living is about intentionally choosing to live with fewer possessions, focusing only on what truly adds value to our lives.

In today’s fast-paced world, clutter seems to be an ever-present issue. Our homes are filled with things we rarely use, and our minds are crowded with distractions. But what if clearing out physical clutter could lead to a clearer mind and a deeper connection with the world around us?

Author and speaker John Mark Comer, in his book “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry,” highlights the importance of creating clear space in our lives. He emphasizes the idea that clutter isn’t just physical—it can also clutter our minds, making it difficult to hear God or connect with our inner selves.

By simplifying our surroundings—whether it’s getting rid of clothes we never wear, toys our kids have outgrown, or clearing out shelves and closets—we can create space for what truly matters. This act of decluttering isn’t just about tidying up our homes; it’s about asking ourselves, “Does this possession add value to my life? “

Minimalism isn’t about deprivation; it’s about abundance—abundance of time, energy, and focus. By resisting the urge to constantly acquire more stuff, we free ourselves from the burden of excessive possessions and gain more time for the things that truly bring us joy and fulfillment.

Moreover, studies have shown a direct link between clutter and anxiety. By decluttering our physical spaces, we can alleviate stress and create a more peaceful environment for ourselves and our families.

Ask yourself, why am I buying these things? What feeling am I chasing?

I will never be a true minimalist. I enjoy shopping too much, but I can do better. I have been trying to not buy anything until I give some things away, that has been working somewhat.

In conclusion, embracing minimalism isn’t about giving up everything we own; it’s about being intentional with what we choose to surround ourselves with. It’s about creating space for what truly matters and finding clarity in a cluttered world. Minimalism is a life long journey, decluttering doesn’t happen overnight. So let’s take a step back, evaluate our possessions, and simplify our lives for a greater sense of peace, purpose, and connection.

How to hear the voice of God

Posted on by

I talked before about asking God to take my desire for having a baby away if he didn’t want me to have one. He never did. I also talked about doing a lot of research and study just to make sure that the hope that I was clinging to made sense. I know this is a hard thing to do, but if you are wrestling with something for a long time, you made need to ask to make sure you are your desires match up with what God wants for your life.

I studied on the character of God. One of my favorite verses is God is not like man, he does not lie, he does not change his mind. Numbers 23:19

I read a book by Joyce Meyer (of course, lol) called How to hear the Voice of God. It was huge for me because it helps you figure out if God said something to you or if you came up with it yourself.

There are so many gems in that book but these are ones I still use today.

Does it back up biblically? This isn’t a peck and find situation. Can you find several scriptures that address your situation? Other scriptures that say God doesn’t lie Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18

the truth paternity court GIF by Lauren Lake's Paternity Court
giphy.com

Did you receive outside confirmation? God can use anything or anybody to speak to you. When I was thinking about starting this blog and was super nervous about, several different just randomly told me I should start a blog. Out of the blue! I didn’t mention that I was thinking about it, they just felt compelled to tell me. That’s God.

Have you created an atmosphere that shows your willingness to listen? We talked about this some in Do you feel like God left you on read? 10 reasons he might not be answering…

Do you know him? Not you heard of him, or you see him on Sunday, but are you in personal relationship? Is God your friend?

Keke Palmer Lie Detector GIF by swerk
giphy.com

I also watched this video from Priscilla Shirer where she discusses her book, Discerning the Voice of God. Check it out, its only 8 minutes. https://youtu.be/FaZ8SlAcCVk I always try to find multiple sources of anything I am researching.

Highlights in her video

You have to read your bible to hear the voice of God. Its the number one way he speaks to us, its his word. That’s why I keep trying the bible in a year plan.

Random coincidences, aren’t random that was God. I don’t personally believe in coincidence, I feel that everything happens for a reason. That was God working something out for your good.

season 2 911fox GIF by 9-1-1 on FOX
giphy.com

She also said sometimes you won’t know until later that it was God speaking to you. You just have to step out on faith and believe his grace and mercy will catch you if you mess up. That’s the awesome thing about God you don’t have to get it all right.

Hearing the voice of God can be so difficult. There are so many things in the world that can distract us or make us doubt what God told us. Circumstances can make us doubt the promises of God but we don’t have to. The more we know him, the more we can hear him. We just need to remember to feed our faith and starve our doubts.

Until next time,

Dominique

Ways to go from planning to action

Posted on by

I hear a lot of people who talk about they read something good in a book, or heard it on a podcast or YouTube video but they don’t know how to execute it in real life. It can seem overwhelming when you have learned a lot of information but you are unsure how to implement it. Here is a list of things to try. The list is long so you can figure out what works best for you, it may be one thing or a combination. Keep trying until something sticks!

Write it down-Hearing something is not always enough. Jot a note in your phone, in a journal, somewhere you can reference back. Your brain remembers things better when you write them down.

Do one thing at a time– You probably hear good stuff all the time. You can’t do all the things, at the same time. Pick one good thing you heard and see if it works.

Carve out time with yourself -How busy are you? Have you set assign time to get things done? Are you exhausted after work? What changes do you need to make to give yourself more free time?

citrus and style: How to Make Time for Yourself in College
Citrus and Style

Change your thought process– even if you have started and stopped before, believe that this time will be different. You are different. You are coming at this with renewed energy and focus.

Treat yourself how you would treat a friend-Give yourself a break. Remember you are doing the best you can.

Set timers/alarms on your phone-this is a great way to get an external reminder. I set an alarm on my phone for 3pm everyday to write. I don’t need it anymore but it was great in helping me establish a routine.

Put post its up in your house or car to remind yourself of the things you learned

Make a Note to Do Great Things! — The Memo
Being Mary Jane

Get rid of distractions-Set blocks on your phone for notifications. I put my Instagram and Facebook on a timer and when my time is up thats it. My friend just completely deletes the app off her phone. Whatever it takes.

Get to the root of the problem– what are you afraid of?

The fear of success and the fear of judgement are REAL — Brigitte Linford

Only person stopping you is you. Do you think that it won’t Really happen? Is what you want Gods plan or yours? You may need to double check. Do it despite how you feel, the more you do it you’ll start to get used to it.

The key thing with all these strategies is being intentional. Its waking up everyday and deciding that I am going to do better than the day before. You already did the first part which is the research. You were able to look into resources, that’s a good thing. Celebrate that small win. Now you just have to do the next step. The harder step, which is putting in the work. I believe in you. You got this!

inspiring red carpet GIF
giphy.com