How to Hear God’s Direction

Before we even dive into today's newsletter, I need to give you a huge disclaimer: I am not an expert on this.

I am very much working on this daily. Sometimes hourly.

Y'all know I am a planner. I like knowing what's coming. I like a plan, preferably written down in my ​Erin Condren​ planner with a nice pen. 😂 Waiting, trusting, and moving forward without knowing exactly where we're going does not come naturally to me.

So I'm not writing this as someone who has figured out how to perfectly hear God's direction. I'm writing it as someone who is learning to listen.

And lately, I keep coming back to this:

I don't need the whole map. I just need to pay attention to what God is asking of me in this season.

Start with Scripture

I can't tell you exactly how God will speak to you. But I do believe that when we spend time with Him through Scripture and prayer, we become more familiar with His character and better able to recognize His direction.

When I'm anxious because I don't have all the answers I want, or because the answer seems to be wait, I keep reminding myself:

I can trust God with what I cannot see yet.

That's easier to type than it is to live, by the way.

Make Space to Listen

Our world is busy and chaotic and LOUD.

When was the last time you sat in silence and just let yourself be?

No phone. No television. No podcast. No audiobook. No scrolling while pretending you're resting.

Just stillness.

It's hard to hear anything when we never stop long enough to listen.

I love learning. I love podcasts and books and all the things that fill my brain with new ideas. But sometimes I need to stop consuming everyone else's thoughts long enough to make room for God.

Look Backward

Sometimes when I can't see what God is doing ahead of me, it helps to look at what He's already done behind me.

When Bill and I were buying our house, our original closing date was June 1.

We didn't close until August 18.

We also got married in June.

Which meant we spent the first couple months of our marriage couch surfing while I desperately wanted someone to PLEASE JUST GET THE CORRECT PAPERWORK TURNED IN. 😂

There were so many pieces completely outside of my control, and yet I kept trying to mentally manage all of them.

Eventually, the house closed. We had places to stay. We survived. And the thing I spent so much time worrying about worked itself out.

I've seen that pattern over and over again.

God has been faithful before. Remembering that helps me trust Him with what I can't see yet.

And sometimes His plans surprise me.

When I first met Bill, my immediate impression was basically, This is Clint's dorky friend Bill.

Romantic, I know.

Years later, we met again at Clint and Holly's Christmas party and Bill started flirting with me. I wasn't looking for a relationship. I wasn't planning to settle down anytime soon.

But something in me said, Just see what happens.

So I gave Clint's dorky friend a chance.

I'm pretty glad I didn't require the full roadmap on that one. ❤️

Pay Attention to Repetition

During that whole house-closing saga, Philippians 4:6–7 started showing up everywhere.

A random devotional book.

An email newsletter.

A sermon.

A song.

Again and again, I kept coming back to those verses about bringing our worries to God and receiving His peace.

Eventually I thought, Okay. Maybe I should actually pay attention to what this is saying.

And that peace Scripture talks about?

It is incredible when it washes over you.

I don't think every coincidence or repeated message means God is sending us a secret code. But when something repeatedly points me back to Scripture and aligns with what I know about God's character, I've learned to pay attention.

Pay Attention to Your Energy, Too

This one needs a little clarification because hard does not mean wrong.

Scripture never promises us an easy life. We will struggle. We will suffer. There will be seasons when the work God has given us is genuinely difficult.

But I also believe God has given us gifts and work that can bring Him glory and give our lives meaning.

There is a difference between this is hard and meaningful and I feel hate, contempt, and dread toward this day after day after day.

I've noticed that when I wander too far from my purpose and start flailing around on all the little off roads, I become mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausted.

Sometimes something drains us because it's difficult and worth doing.

Sometimes it drains us because its season has passed.

Sometimes we're trying to force something whose season hasn't arrived yet.

That's why I've started asking a different question.

Instead of:

God, what am I supposed to do with my life?

I'm asking:

God, what are You asking of me in this season?

Because seasons change.

Something can be exactly right for you today and still not be yours forever.

That's Where I Am Right Now

I've been asking this question a lot about my business.

I want to reach people. I want to help as many people as possible. And sometimes that desire makes me want to talk to everybody about everything.

But I'm beginning to realize that reaching a broader audience doesn't necessarily mean creating a deeper impact.

I'm also working really hard on not comparing my journey to every coach and consultant I see on social media.

Their strengths are different from mine.

Their path is different from mine.

And that's okay.

I don't have to build what they're building.

I need to pay attention to what God is asking me to build in this season.

Maybe you do too.

So this week, find five minutes.

Put down your phone. Turn off the noise. Sit somewhere quiet with your Bible and pray:

God, what are You asking of me in this season?

And then give yourself enough space to listen.

You may not get the whole map.

Maybe you just need enough light for the next step.

Something to Think About

What have I noticed this week that I may have been too busy, distracted, or worried to hear before?

Growing Good

1. September 16 is National Guacamole Day!

Guacamole is delicious, full of healthy fats and fiber, and apparently deserving of its own national holiday. I support this.

Make it social! Invite your favorite guac-loving friends over, have everyone bring their best version, and conduct a completely serious and highly scientific guacamole taste test.

2. September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Consider this your permission slip to add a little whimsy to an otherwise normal day.

Throw an "Ahoy, matey!" into a conversation. Call someone a scallywag. Ask your coworker where they've hidden the treasure.

We're grown-ups. We have enough serious things to deal with.

Have some fun.

Rachel Recommends

If you're thinking about purpose, energy, and where you're investing your time, I highly recommend ​Are You Fully Charged? by Tom Rath​.

Rath explores how purpose and meaningful work affect our energy and our lives. It's a great companion to this week's question: Am I investing my energy in the things that matter in this season?

And if you're looking for a great story about people working together toward a common purpose, I just finished ​The Boys in the Boat ​for book club.

This is exactly the kind of nonfiction I love. It's well written, the story is fascinating, and, very important to me, the photos are sprinkled throughout the book instead of stuck in one random section in the middle. Why do nonfiction books do that?! 😂

It's a beautiful story about perseverance, teamwork, and what can happen when individual strengths come together around a shared purpose.

A Thought to Carry With You

“Humans were made to have meaning. Without purpose, life is meaningless. A meaningless life is a life without hope or significance.”

— Rick Warren

A Little Something for You

Speaking of energy, if you've been feeling drained lately and aren't quite sure why, this is a great week to check out my FREE ​Energy & Engagement Mini Course.​

It will help you take a closer look at what's filling you up, what's draining you, and where you may need to make some adjustments in this season.

And because apparently we're balancing spiritual discernment with pirate nonsense this week, I made you something else. 😂

Talk Like a Pirate Day: ​Find Your Pirate Name + Pirate Phrase Cheat Sheet​

No mother's maiden names, childhood streets, pet names, or anything else the internet does not need to know. Just completely useless information that will help determine your highly scientific pirate identity.

Wherever this week takes you, I hope you make a little room to listen.

You don't have to figure out your entire life today.

Pay attention to what God is doing in this season, trust Him with what you can't see yet, and take the next step in front of you.

What are you noticing?