Episode 8
08 | How to Tell if It's God's Voice or Your Own Desires
Let’s get right into it! Today, we’re diving into how to discern whether those little nudges we feel are truly from God or just our own desires throwing a party in our heads. Spoiler alert: God isn’t your personal genie, just waiting to grant wishes—He’s got His own agenda that’s a bit bigger than our wish list! I’m sharing three actionable steps to help you navigate those confusing moments, so grab your trusty notebook, because trust me, you’ll want to take notes! We’ll explore how to pray openly and honestly with God, trust in His plan even when it feels tough, and ultimately, how to surrender our desires to Him. So, if you're ready to find clarity and purpose while following His guidance, let’s dig in and see what He has in store for us!
I pray that this episode blesses and encourages you!
Michelle
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Listen to Related Episode:
05 | Is It God? How to Recognize His Voice Amidst the Noise?
Transcript
You have so much faith in God and extraordinary faith in him that he'll listen and it'll be done if it's his will, for he loves you so much that he wants to make you happy, delight you if he can.
Speaker A:One thing to caution though is God is not a genie that automatically grants you whatever you ask of him, nor can he manipulate it.
Speaker A:I will provide you with three main steps to help you sit down with immediate, actionable steps when it comes to determining if it's God's will versus your own desires.
Speaker A:Grab your notebook and pen or your tablet and pencil if you're like me and you'll want to take notes.
Speaker A:If you do not have one yet, you better go grab one because on this podcast you'll be taking notes.
Speaker A:If you're ready to break free from stuck, gain clarity and take steps towards discerning your unique purpose, all while following God's guidance to become the person he created you to be.
Speaker A:If so, you're in the right place.
Speaker A:Hello, I'm Michelle, a Catholic discernment mentor and spiritual coach who went from lost and questioning my purpose to confident in my unique calling using a Catholic based strategy that places God and the Catholic faith at the center.
Speaker A:Are you ready to dive in, grab your pen and notebook and get comfy, Open your heart and mind and invite God in as we get ready to become who God created you to be.
Speaker A:Let's do this.
Speaker A:In today's episode, I'll be offering guidance on how you can navigate through moments of doubt or confusion when you're trying to determine whether it's an inner prompting that's truly from God or is it just one's own desires?
Speaker A:This can be tricky because we may want something so bad and we can get confused that it is not his will for us, but actually our own desire that we want more than anything.
Speaker A:Let's dive into this method for discerning if it's God's desire or your own desire.
Speaker A:Alright, you know me by now and I have an open and honest conversation with God about anything that's really going on with me.
Speaker A:So the first step is to pray to God.
Speaker A:I'll try not to get too emotional over this as I share, but this really came into play for me this last fall when my dog became really sick and I almost lost her.
Speaker A:I prayed to God when she was in the hospital.
Speaker A:I would look down lying from her bed, over in her empty gray bed with her pink blanket with tears in my eyes and I prayed to God for His help.
Speaker A:I told him how much she meant to me and that I still needed her.
Speaker A:I have some potential upcoming difficulties that I need her for her and I have been through a lot these past 10 years together.
Speaker A:You can heal her because anything is possible for you, God.
Speaker A:I'm not giving up on her nor on you.
Speaker A:I clinged on to God's words.
Speaker A: le with God from Luke chapter: Speaker A:So I would remind myself through my waking hours God's truth.
Speaker A:Every day I would continue to pray to him along with a couple of saints for their intercession to God for me.
Speaker A:And as Catholics, you know, we like to call upon our saints to help us pray.
Speaker A:Just like I had asked my family members to pray for Ellie on her behalf.
Speaker A:So every time I prayed I always said, please heal her if it is your will.
Speaker A:That is very key when we are praying to make sure that it is God's voice.
Speaker A:It and his wants versus your desires is always adding that important element piece in your prayer is saying whatever your request is and then saying if it's your will.
Speaker A:Another thing, I was persistent in my prayer to God daily and I still pray to God to heal her and completely restore her back to normal.
Speaker A:We are reminded of this when we look at Luke chapter 11, verse 9, about the neighbor repeatedly knocking out that neighbor's door until he opened up that Jesus used as a parable to for a teaching.
Speaker A:So do not just say one prayer request of what you want and if it's his will for you, it's okay.
Speaker A:You can be persistent and keep praying to God.
Speaker A:Because what happens if that prayer of desire and what you want is not answered?
Speaker A:Then God might just be wanting to open another door for you.
Speaker A:Or like Bishop Robert Barron reminds us that perhaps he is needing you to grow in your passion for you, wanting what he desires and his will for you.
Speaker A:This first step in my method is I encourage you to have an open and honest conversation with God.
Speaker A:Have that prayer which is.
Speaker A:Prayer is simply a conversation.
Speaker A:I don't know if I if you've heard that or I've shared that yet, but you can think of when you're praying to God, it's just, it's a conversation with Him.
Speaker A:Tell him what you want.
Speaker A:Just be open, honest and pour your heart out to Him.
Speaker A:He already knows the desires in your heart, but he wants to hear it from you.
Speaker A:So in your prayer, just tell him what you want, but only if it is your will.
Speaker A:So insert your request that you want and then add only if it is your will.
Speaker A:The next Step is trust with faith.
Speaker A:So you want to trust that God heard your prayer.
Speaker A:And I trusted in God that He knows what is best.
Speaker A:So I trusted in him that he knew what was best for Ellie and I.
Speaker A:And when you're trusting, you should have faith in God that He heard your prayer and that it'll be done.
Speaker A:I invite you that after you pray to God and you're having that conversation with him, tell him that it to be his will.
Speaker A:And then you place trust in Him.
Speaker A:Let him know that you have that trust in Him.
Speaker A:And I know this can be hard and challenging, but this helps shape you into the person that he created you to be or that he's wanting to mold you into that he already had created you to be before you were formed in your mother's womb.
Speaker A:We are reminded in Proverbs 3, 5, 6, 2.
Speaker A:Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight.
Speaker A:In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths.
Speaker A:Like I said, this can be hard.
Speaker A:And to help with that trust, you can reflect on the bible verse Proverbs 3, 5, 6 daily.
Speaker A:And it is through repetition that'll help your subconscious reprogram your limiting belief.
Speaker A:I hate to say it, but trust can be a limiting belief for you, especially if that came up while we're.
Speaker A:While you're listening to this podcast or if you're reflecting on this Bible verse.
Speaker A:So I want you to pull out your Catholic Bible and turn to Proverbs 3, 5, 6 daily and read it 10 times per day to help reprogram that subconscious to the truth of God.
Speaker A:If you're having that limiting belief of trust, and especially trust in God.
Speaker A: erse to reflect on is on Mark: Speaker A:Jesus tells us, go your way.
Speaker A:Your faith has made you well.
Speaker A:So you have to have so much faith in God and extraordinary faith in him that he'll listen and it'll be done if it's his will.
Speaker A:For he loves you so much that he wants to make you happy and delight you if he can.
Speaker A:But one thing to caution you on, though, is that God is not a genie that automatically grants whatever you ask of him, nor can he be manipulated.
Speaker A:For example, like, you should never say to God, I will do this.
Speaker A:Fill in your blank.
Speaker A:Fill in the blank.
Speaker A:If you'll answer my prayer of fill in the blank.
Speaker A:He is like us.
Speaker A:He has a free will.
Speaker A:And he is a powerful sovereign, a superior ruling over us.
Speaker A:And then the last step is just to surrender.
Speaker A:Let it go.
Speaker A:Hand it over to God and try not to worry about it.
Speaker A:Remember, you're in good hands.
Speaker A:God is a loving and an almighty God.
Speaker A:He truly wants what is best for you.
Speaker A:He will open up doors for you if it's his will for you.
Speaker A:And three things that you can reflect on this is Is your desire want?
Speaker A:Is it morally good versus evil?
Speaker A:Is it aligned with the God's laws?
Speaker A:Is it aligned with Jesus teachings of the Catholic Church?
Speaker A:Does this help someone versus harm someone?
Speaker A:And lastly, do you feel a sense of peace and not a sense of darkness?
Speaker A:An unease feeling in your heart?
Speaker A:If you're experiencing uneasiness over what you want and desire when you're making that decision to take action or to do something, most likely it's not God's calling you.
Speaker A:This is not his voice.
Speaker A:I personally would not take that step if it was me.
Speaker A:Depending on how you answered those questions internally, then most likely then it is God's will for you.
Speaker A:He will definitely open up doors for you if it's his desire alone alongside yours.
Speaker A:A great resource to help elaborate on opening doors up for you and God's voice to help you discern is Check out episode 5 Is it God?
Speaker A:How to recognize his voice amidst the noise.
Speaker A:I'll link the episode in the show notes below to recap on the three practical steps to discern and navigate through if it's God's desire or your own desire.
Speaker A:Step one is to pray honestly and openly.
Speaker A:Begin by having an open conversation with God.
Speaker A:You want to share your desires and heart with Him.
Speaker A:Being honest with about what you want, but always with the condition that it to be his will.
Speaker A:This shows vulnerability and trust.
Speaker A:Step two is to trust with faith in God's plan After praying, trust that God knows what is best for you.
Speaker A:Trusting in his plan even when it's hard, I know is an essential part of the process.
Speaker A:Proverbs 3:5 6 encourages trust in God, not relying on your own understanding.
Speaker A:Because we may be thinking this as in human terms and not in God's lens, God's perspective.
Speaker A:And lastly, the third step is to surrender and just let it go.
Speaker A:I know maybe you want to sing that frozen song let it Go, but you just want to surrender your desire to God.
Speaker A:After praying and trusting, let go of the outcome and just trust God will guide you.
Speaker A:Don't worry about the process.
Speaker A:God is in control and he'll open the right doors.
Speaker A:If it's aligned with his will, everything will fall into place.
Speaker A:Let us pray in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Lord our Almighty and loving God, I pray that you help this beautiful soul as she seeks out your will for her.
Speaker A:She is questioning whether she's hearing your voice, your will for her, or if it's her own desires.
Speaker A:Make the path for her clear and help her to acknowledge if this is your will or your own desire.
Speaker A:We ask this in the name of Jesus.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:All right, knowledge is power, but true change happens when it's paired with consistent daily action and we cannot gain clarity if we're not taking daily action to help us move forward.
Speaker A:So with that said, I would just like for you to pull out your journal and if you don't have one, you really should go buy a notebook or a specific journal and I want you to reflect upon and write this down.
Speaker A:What desires or prayers am I holding onto tightly and how can I surrender them to God?
Speaker A:Just reflect on the process of trusting him and being open to his will.
Speaker A:Also, what fears or doubts come up when you think about releasing control to Him?
Speaker A:How can you align your desire with God's plan for you?
Speaker A:And I would love for you to share inside the free Facebook community when you're facing a difficult decision like which step that we went over today did you find most challenging?
Speaker A:And remember, my beautiful sister in Christ, that God uniquely created you for a unique purpose.
Speaker A:You were made to do great things.
Speaker A:God is within you and you will not fail.
Speaker A:Until next time, thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker A:I pray that today's episode blesses and encourages you.
Speaker A:If so, would you please share it with someone you know that would be blessed by it.
Speaker A:If you felt inspired or learned something Today, please take 30 seconds to leave a written review on Apple Podcasts.
Speaker A:This is the number one way to let me know that you are liking the show and for me to reach other Catholic women like yourself.
Speaker A:If you're feeling uncertain or lost on your discernment journey, you're not alone.
Speaker A:Join us over in the free Facebook community where Catholic women just like you are sharing, supporting and growing together in faith.
Speaker A:I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Speaker A:God Bless.
