4 Ways I’ve Learned to Discern God’s Voice
Because Not Every Open Door Is God, and Not Every Delay Is the Devil
Sis…
Have you ever felt like everyone had something to say about your life — except God?
Like you’re surrounded by noise, drowning in opinions, overwhelmed by your own overthinking, and just wishing Heaven would part the clouds and shout down some instructions?
Same.
We live in a time where the volume is all the way up — social media, “experts,” your own inner critic — and yet, it’s never been more crucial to know exactly how to hear God clearly. Because not every open door is your assignment. Not every good idea is a God idea. And not every loud voice is coming from the Spirit.
Discernment is the lifeline.
And it’s not about being super deep or spooky — it’s about being sensitive. And that sensitivity? It’s sharpened in stillness. In prayer. In obedience. In those quiet moments where you stop looking for signs and start listening for presence.
And let me tell you how real this got for me...
Last week, my daughter Kennedy found an old notebook I hadn’t touched in years. And tucked inside was a letter — a raw, tear-stained prayer I wrote to God over 10 years ago. I had completely forgotten it. But in that letter, I asked Him to use me… to heal through me… to let my life glorify Him in every way. I wasn’t building a brand or chasing clarity — I just wanted to please God.
And the wildest part?
Around that same time, I had a vision of a sacred space. Peaceful. Safe. A live tree stood in the middle — rooted, alive, whole. I didn’t have language for it, but I felt God all over it. I named it Root + River — inspired by Jeremiah 17:8. I even claimed the IG handle and walked away. No content. Just faith.
And now?
That vision is coming alive.
Root + River is becoming a real place. A real movement. A space where women come to rest, be restored, and reconnect with God for real. And it all started with one moment of sensing — and choosing to believe it was God.
That’s how this works.
God doesn’t just shout from burning bushes anymore — He whispers in the journal entries we forgot about. He shows up in our desires. In our surrender. In our obedience.
So if you’ve been asking “God, is this You?” lately…
Here are 4 ways I’ve learned to discern His voice — even when the world is loud and the path feels blurry.
Let’s dive in.
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1. His voice is wrapped in peace, not pressure.
I used to think urgency was spiritual. That if something felt loud and pressing, it must be from God. But God isn’t chaotic — even when He’s moving fast.
Yes, there are moments where obedience requires quick action. But the spirit of God is never frantic. His voice may challenge you, convict you, or stretch you — but it will always carry a weight of peace. Peace that silences panic. Peace that reminds you He’s in control.
Ask yourself:
“Do I feel rushed, or do I feel released?”Colossians 3:15 – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…”
If it’s causing confusion, panic, or pressure to perform, pause. The Holy Spirit leads — He doesn’t shove.
2. God often confirms through patterns, not just prophecy.
That letter I wrote? I’d forgotten it. But the moment I reread it, it hit me — this isn’t new. This calling, this dream, this desire to create a space for healing and connection — it’s been echoing for years.
God’s voice sounds a lot like consistency. He doesn’t keep switching up your assignment. He may evolve it. He may deepen it. But He will keep pointing you back to what He already planted.
Pay attention to the patterns. The reoccurring desires. The things people keep speaking over you that align with the tug in your chest. That’s not coincidence. That’s confirmation.
Ask yourself:
“What keeps resurfacing — even when I try to move on from it?”
Philippians 1:6 – “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…”
📌 Just because it’s been quiet doesn’t mean it’s been canceled. God’s voice lingers in the assignments He never let you drop.
3. Clarity often comes after obedience.
This one humbles me. Because I’ve spent years begging God for the full blueprint when He was only offering the next brick.
We want to understand before we obey. We want the five-year plan. But God gives us faith-sized pieces — one step at a time. You hit publish. You say yes. You start the thing, unsure if anyone will support it. And then the path unfolds.
Root + River didn’t come fully formed. It started with a vision of a peaceful space with a tree. That was it. But the more I walked, the more God revealed. Faith is motion-activated.
Ask yourself:
“What’s one small step I can take today to honor what God already showed me?”
Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
📌 Lamps don’t light highways. They light steps. Move with what you’ve got.
4. Surrender sharpens your sensitivity.
You want to hear God clearly? Lay your will down.
This is the hardest part for me. Because I still want control. I want to know how it’s going to work out. I want a guarantee. But the more I try to hold everything, the harder it becomes to hear anything.
When I’m truly surrendered — like open-handed, “God, whatever You say, I’ll do” surrendered — the fog lifts. Pride quiets. Clarity comes.
Ask yourself:
“Am I willing to obey, even if the answer isn’t what I wanted?”
Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
📌 God doesn’t hide His voice — He honors humility.
Try This This Week:
Journal prompt:
“What’s one area where I’ve been waiting for clarity… but avoiding obedience?”
Worship while you wait:
Prayer:
God, make me sensitive to Your voice. Strip away my pride, my panic, and my pressure to have it all figured out. Speak to me in the quiet. Confirm what I’ve buried. Help me trust that You still speak — and that I already know more than I’m letting myself act on. I give You my yes. Again. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Final Thoughts:
You don’t need to chase new words — you need to trust the ones He already spoke.
Go back to the journal. Revisit the dream. Open your hands. Move with what you’ve got. The whisper of God might not sound like thunder. But it’s been guiding you all along.
Your job? Say yes.
Even when it’s quiet.
Even when it’s small.
Even when it’s scary.
He’s still speaking.
And He hasn’t changed His mind about you.
In it with you —
Erika 🤍
P.S.
Want to sharpen your discernment in real life?
Start with stillness. Start with prayer. Start with one small act of obedience today — even if it feels insignificant.
And if you’ve been asking God for direction but feeling stuck in the fog… I wrote something for you.
Download the Free Prayer Manual: Breaking the Stronghold of Fear, Anxiety & Insecurity — it’s your spiritual reset button.
Let this be the week you stop waiting for a sign — and start trusting the One who speaks.