Listen for Direction: Slowing Down to Hear God’s Whisper

Blog 3 · CALLED™ Series · L = Listen for Direction-

If I’m honest, listening has always been the hardest part of my walk. I’m a doer. My default is to fix, help, create, push forward, and figure it all out myself. Maybe you’re wired that way too. Always moving, always planning, always hustling to get ahead.

But here’s what I’ve learned, and it wasn’t easy. When I finally got serious about slowing down to hear God’s direction, that’s when the blueprint of my life started to unfold.

My Calling Showed Up Before I Recognized It

Long before I ever labeled it a “calling,” I was advocating for women after my own medical trauma. I started a Facebook group back when groups weren’t even really a thing, and it grew to more than 3,000 survivors. At that time, that was huge.

I even did a radio podcast interview before podcasting was “cool.” Looking back now, I can see that God had me practicing my voice, using my gift of encouragement, and helping people find hope. At the time, I didn’t call it “listening for His direction.” I thought I was just reacting to my circumstances.

That’s the thing about listening. Sometimes you don’t realize God is speaking until you pause later and connect the dots.

The Night God Got My Attention

Years later, after trying business after business, hustling myself into exhaustion, and burning through more plans than I could count, I found myself restless, lacking clarity, and begging God for answers.

One night around 3 a.m., He woke me up. Clear as day I heard: “Be the light.”

At first, I laughed. Really, God? That’s it? I had been trying to build these elaborate projects, and His direction boiled down to two words.

So I went into overdrive trying to figure out how to “be the light.” Should I launch a new business? Write a book? Start a ministry? God must have been shaking His head, thinking, “You are wearing yourself out.”

And then it hit me. The light was already in me. My voice, my drive to encourage, my desire to point people back to Jesus… that was the assignment. I just had to stop running in circles long enough to hear it.

Why Listening Matters

Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

The voice of God isn’t always loud. More often it shows up as:

• A verse that won’t leave you alone

• A nudge that keeps resurfacing

• A conversation that confirms what you’ve been praying

• A restless lack of peace when you’re about to head the wrong way

Listening doesn’t mean you sit around waiting for a lightning bolt. It means you quiet down enough to notice the whispers that are already there.

Journal Exercise: Use Your Faith & Focus Bible Journal

Grab your Faith & Focus Bible Journal and turn to the Bible Study Worksheet.

1. Ask Your Question
   In the Passage/Date line, write one specific question you’ve been wrestling with.

2. Pray and Pause
   In My Prayers for Today, ask God for clarity. Then sit still, even if it’s just two minutes of silence before you start your day.

3. Pay Attention
   Throughout the week, record verses, nudges, conversations, or repeated themes in the Reflections section.

4. Test It
   Use the How can I apply this scripture to my life? section to filter what you hear. God’s voice always aligns with His Word and brings peace, not panic.