Episode 36
36 | How to Hear God Amidst the Noise of Everyday Life
Ever felt like you’re drowning in the noise of daily life and can’t hear God? You’re definitely not alone! In our latest conversation, we tackle the very real struggle of hearing God’s voice amidst the chaos of motherhood.
With kids demanding your attention, work piling up, and distractions at every turn, it’s no wonder many moms feel spiritually frayed. We explore the mental clutter that can drown out God's whispers and share practical tips on how to clear that noise.
You’ll leave with tools to help you cultivate a heart that’s open and ready to receive God’s guidance, even when life feels like a rollercoaster!
Grab your favorite cozy spot, maybe a snack (because snacks make everything better), and let’s figure out how to weave God’s voice into our beautifully chaotic lives!
I pray that this episode blesses and encourages you!
Michelle
✨ Next Steps:
- Ready to Discover Your Unique Purpose with Clarity? Book your 1:1 Purpose Coaching Session Here
- Connect with Catholic moms discovering God’s plan in everyday life Here
- Receive Weekly Encouragement and Action Steps to Help You Move Forward with God: Subscribe to the The Inner Flame Here
✨ Feedback or Questions? Contact me at hello@michellebrannam.com
✨ Listen to Related Episodes:
- 02 | Quiet Moments with God: Simple Steps to Hear His Voice
- 08 | How to Tell if It's God's Voice or Your Own Desires
- 03 | 3 Ways to Make Time for God (Even When You're Busy!)
Transcript
But here's the thing.
Speaker A:You have to be careful because God is not the only one speaking and entering your mind through those antennas.
Speaker A:Maybe you've been trying to spend time with God, but lately it just feels hard to hear Him.
Speaker A:The noise of everyday life, the kids, work, routines, distractions, it all starts to blur together and in somewhere in it all, it's hard to hear God amidst the noise.
Speaker A:If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.
Speaker A:We're talking about how to quiet the mental clutter and make space to hear God's voice right in the middle of your busy, beautiful, chaotic life.
Speaker A:So take a moment to pause, grab your notebook, take a deep breath and let's dive in.
Speaker B: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 B:If so, you're in the right place.
Speaker B:Hello, I'm Michelle, a Catholic discernment mentor.
Speaker A:And spiritual coach who went from lost.
Speaker B:And questioning my purpose to confident in my unique calling using a Catholic based strategy that places God and the Catholic.
Speaker A:Faith at the center.
Speaker B:Are you ready to dive in?
Speaker B: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 B:Let's do this.
Speaker A:I remember being pregnant with my daughter.
Speaker A:I was curled up on the couch, feeling this deep ache in my heart.
Speaker A:I was praying, journaling and searching online, trying to figure out what my unique purpose was.
Speaker A:I wanted to know why God created me, what he had planned for my life, and how I could live it fully.
Speaker A:But the more I searched, the more frustrated I became.
Speaker A:I found endless advice, some faith filled, some not.
Speaker A:But nothing had brought me the real clarity.
Speaker A:I felt stuck, overwhelmed, and honestly, a little lost.
Speaker A:I started wondering if I'd ever be able to hear God's voice clearly.
Speaker A:If you're ready to stop feeling stuck and to start hearing God's voice more clearly, then come join me for a purpose coaching session at Bitly Catholic Purpose Coaching.
Speaker A:The link is also in the episode description.
Speaker A:In one hour, you'll walk away with the discernment strategy that you can implement right away to help you uncover your God led next step.
Speaker A:All right, let's get started.
Speaker A:Being the mother of two young toddlers, there are some days that I'm worn out from the night before.
Speaker A:Whether it's one kid up late and the other one's waking up during the night from teething, I find myself struggling to get up early to spend time with God.
Speaker A:The rush of getting everyone up, the diapers changed, getting the kids milk and getting breakfast and before I know it's time for lunch and I haven't said my prayers yet.
Speaker A:The day progresses forward like someone just took the remote of my day and fast forward me in double speed.
Speaker A:I'm being pulled in every direction, trying to tend to the kids, trying to get the dishes either in or out of the dishwasher and washing clothes.
Speaker A:God sometimes, unfortunately gets pushed back and I tell myself I'll say my prayers after the kids are done with breakfast, then, okay, I'll say my prayers after everyone is settled and quiet.
Speaker A:In the afternoon, after lunch, before I know it, my husband is getting off work and I haven't even said my prayers yet.
Speaker A:The kids were too needy today, which is not their fault, and I haven't said my prayers.
Speaker A:After bath time, I tell myself I need to work on creating my podcast content after the family is asleep, I'll say my morning prayer routine when I get back upstairs before falling asleep in bed.
Speaker A:And the next thing I know I fell asleep.
Speaker A:And then I try to say them again and again.
Speaker A:I wake up later and I realize I failed to say my morning prayers from the day before.
Speaker A:And that's when I pause.
Speaker A:I reflect on my day and gently acknowledge what happened.
Speaker A:Without judgment but with awareness.
Speaker A:I reach into my mindset toolbox because sometimes there really are supernatural sources hindering us, and I use the tools that I've learned to help me get back on track.
Speaker A:So instead of letting the guilt or distraction take over, I pause, notice it, and redirect my focus towards God again.
Speaker A:It's that awareness, that gentle reset that keeps me staying stuck.
Speaker A:Because I know who and what is competing for my attention and I choose to realign my thoughts and time with Him.
Speaker A:And here's what I've learned through spiritual reading and my mindset work.
Speaker A:When I look back on the days like that, God gently reminds me that the noise isn't just around me, it's within me too.
Speaker A:That's what makes hearing his voice so hard sometimes for us.
Speaker A:So today I want to unpack three truths that can help you quiet the mental clutter, because that's what it is, and tune back into God's voice right in the middle of your busy life.
Speaker A:There is noise around us in today's world.
Speaker A:There's just so much competing for our attention, especially as moms.
Speaker A:We have our families needing our attention.
Speaker A:They're pulling us in all directions.
Speaker A:Then there's social media out there, that grabs our attention too.
Speaker A:And we have to be careful what we allow into our minds because that's what fills our minds.
Speaker A:And in with time, that can persuade us or influence us.
Speaker A:Something you can become aware of and reflect on is, are you giving God the space to speak to you?
Speaker A:That question it really matters because if we don't intentionally make space for him, the noise of life will always fill it for us.
Speaker A:To hear God, we need to create intentional moments of quiet.
Speaker A:Not empty space, but sacred space where his voice can break through.
Speaker A:And this can be spending quiet time in scripture, reading His Word, reflecting and leaving space for the quietness for him to speak to you again.
Speaker A:I invite you to pause and just reflect upon your day.
Speaker A:Are you giving time to God and keeping that sacred time?
Speaker A:This is not to shame you, not to judge, just to become awareness so you can ask yourself right now and to become more self aware of this is to pause and reflect upon.
Speaker A:Or you can even grab your journal and reflect on.
Speaker A:Are you in the right mindset, the right attitude before going into your prayer time with God?
Speaker A:Are you going into that time feeling rushed and is your mind still or is it thinking about other things during that time?
Speaker A:No shame, no guilt.
Speaker A:I've been there too.
Speaker A:I've done that.
Speaker A:Where I've had to take a step back and go, whoa, this is time for God.
Speaker A:Sorry God, and forget that stuff after I'm done with my time with Him.
Speaker A:Your attitude before going into prayer and during your prayer can help you hear God's voice amidst the noise of the busy everyday life.
Speaker A:Sometimes we don't realize how much that mental clutter actually affects the spiritual clarity.
Speaker A:When you begin to pause that outer noise, that inner calm, it starts to grow.
Speaker A:And it's in those small, faithful pauses that we learn to recognize God's voice and feel his peace again.
Speaker A:We have to guard the gate of our mind.
Speaker A:God gives us this ability to choose what we let in and what we let linger.
Speaker A:If we want to hear his voice clearly, we must be intentional about what we allow to occupy in our mental space.
Speaker A:Now, I want you to picture something like this.
Speaker A:This may seem silly, but indulge me here.
Speaker A:Think of your head with little antennas coming out.
Speaker A:I like to think of more along the line of the TV antennas when we had to do rabbit ears.
Speaker A:Again, that kind of dates me.
Speaker A:If you're too young, if you're listening to this and you have no idea what I'm talking about, you could google that after we're done going over this.
Speaker A:But just Think of your head with these little antennas that are coming out of it, the outside noise, it comes in through those antennas that are coming out of the top of your head.
Speaker A:It's the social media, television, it's the shows, the news, the movies, all of it.
Speaker A:It's coming into us from every direction and it's coming in through those little antennas.
Speaker A:And a question again that I invite you to ask is, as you're thinking about this picture, as I mentioned, all the outside noise coming in through this, are you allowing God away to.
Speaker A:To enter in through an antenna into your mind?
Speaker A:Because we've got all this other stuff coming in that's cluttering our mind.
Speaker A:But do you have a space, a time, that's allowing God to enter in through one of those antennas into your mind?
Speaker A:And this can be through reading sacred scripture, listening to homilies, listening to Catholic priests, bishops, popes, even listening to this podcast can serve you as a way for God to speak to you.
Speaker A:Because sometimes God speaks to us through others.
Speaker A:You'll sense and you'll feel your heart stirring.
Speaker A:And that stirring, that's the Holy Spirit speaking to you, revealing perhaps what our Father or Jesus is telling you, because he is like an interpreter telling you what Jesus or our Father is telling you.
Speaker A:So the Holy Spirit hears the Father and Jesus voice and relays that message to us.
Speaker A:So make sure you're allowing God to speak to you and in your mind through that antenna or through one of those antennas.
Speaker A:But here's the thing.
Speaker A:You have to be careful, because God is not the only one speaking and entering your mind through those antennas, the Evil One, he can come through and speak to you through those antennas as well.
Speaker A:He will tell you lies or stories that'll persuade you not to hear God's voice.
Speaker A:He'll feed you excuses that you choose to accept and tell yourself on repeat.
Speaker A:I don't have time to spend the time with God.
Speaker A:I can't hear his voice.
Speaker A:He's not going to talk to me.
Speaker A:Why would God want to speak to me?
Speaker A:He is competing with God and he's adding to the noise in our lives.
Speaker A:He would love more than anything, anything to keep you from hearing God's voice.
Speaker A:Because if you hear God's voice, the evil one loses control of your thoughts.
Speaker A:You will learn to grow closer to God by hearing his voice and the truth.
Speaker A:I am getting goosebumps up and down my legs, my arms again.
Speaker A:The Holy Spirit is with me right now as I'm talking to you about this.
Speaker A:So this is the truth.
Speaker A:This is Something that he wants me to tell you to enlighten you about.
Speaker A:Oh, there he is again, that evil one.
Speaker A:He can cause the interference.
Speaker A:The static electricity in our communication, just like the noise in our busy life.
Speaker A:That static electricity, like trying to tune in on the radio, depending on what part of the country you're listening to, this sometimes trying to tune in FM station, but you can really see this in the AM stations.
Speaker A:Trying to tune in, you got to get it just right, barely move it.
Speaker A:That radio station that you're trying to seek in, and this is true with God, to hear God and get on that right station as you will, that right frequency with him, the evil one will try to cause interference.
Speaker A:Just like all the other things that's coming into our minds.
Speaker A:The social media and the news, the TVs, all of that stuff comes in.
Speaker A:So the static is his goal.
Speaker A:He wants to distort the frequency of God's voice in your mind and heart.
Speaker A:And that's why we must guard what we allow into our minds and hearts.
Speaker A:And now guarding your mind doesn't mean you need to be avoiding the world.
Speaker A:It just means we need to filter and be aware of what we are letting into our minds.
Speaker A:And you can ask yourself, does what I'm consuming draw me closer to God or distract me from Him?
Speaker A:That simple awareness can be the difference between confusion and clarity.
Speaker A:Because what we think about is what we become.
Speaker A:What we think controls our results.
Speaker A:We want to hear God's voice.
Speaker A:Even in the busyness and the chaotic season of our life.
Speaker A:We're in right.
Speaker A:The stories are the thoughts we allow into our minds.
Speaker A:We program or they reprogram our subconscious.
Speaker A:We don't want to fall into the trap of letting everything in.
Speaker A:We must monitor and guard our mind.
Speaker A:What we want is to hear God's voice.
Speaker A:That's the result.
Speaker A:That's the goal.
Speaker A:That's what we want.
Speaker A:We want to hear God's voice.
Speaker A:So we must create the path and the space for him to speak to us.
Speaker A:So silence in our days matters is I cannot stress enough, as well as guarding what we let into our minds when we reflect on His Word through reading or listening to Scripture, or whether it's listening to other credible sources on His Word or even speaking about the Catholic faith.
Speaker A:We need to be mindful of what and who we listen to.
Speaker A:I am mindful of what and who I listen to so that I'm not misguided on God's Word.
Speaker A:That is what it means to guard your mind and tune your heart in to hear God Even amidst the noise.
Speaker A:So I want to leave you with a few key takeaways because we really hit a lot of stuff today, so I want to help this truth really sink in.
Speaker A:The first thing, God's voice comes through the stillness and not noise.
Speaker A:I know we know that, but the world around us and even the noise within us can drown out his whispers.
Speaker A:The quiet moments are where his clarity breaks through.
Speaker A:And the second thing I want to remind you is your mindset before prayer matters.
Speaker A:You want to enter that sacred time focused and open.
Speaker A:When you slow down and bring a still heart, you begin to notice how God he's already speaking to you.
Speaker A:The third thing is to be intentional of what you let in guard the antennas of your mind.
Speaker A:What you listen to, watch and engage with is shaping your thoughts and your ability to hear God's voice clearly.
Speaker A:And lastly, the Evil One causes interference just like static electricity disrupts a signal.
Speaker A:He uses busyness, distractions and lies to distort your connection with God.
Speaker A:Silence and scripture tune you back into his frequency.
Speaker A:If today's message stirred something in your heart, maybe that's God inviting you to go deeper.
Speaker A:Let's uncover what he's calling you to in a purpose coaching session.
Speaker A:The link is in the show description or you can go to Bit ly catholicpurposecoaching.
Speaker A:Let us pray.
Speaker A:In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Lord Jesus, help me to create space for you to speak to me even in the chaos and everyday noise of my life.
Speaker A:I need you and I want to hear your voice.
Speaker A:Help me to guard my mind and to create a space for you to speak to me.
Speaker A:I want to be mindful of what I allow into my mind.
Speaker A:You are welcome.
Speaker A:I know that with you in my life I can withstand anything, including the chaos.
Speaker A:And help me to remember to prioritize you in my life, my guardian angel.
Speaker A:Please help guard me and guide me.
Speaker A:Help me to seek God in His voice even in the noise of my everyday life.
Speaker A:Give me the nudges that I need.
Speaker A:Father, we make this pray in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Knowledge is power, but true change happens when we pair it with consistent daily action.
Speaker A:We cannot gain clarity if we're not taking action to move us forward.
Speaker A:So here's an exercise that you can do today.
Speaker A:Reflect upon what you're letting into your mind.
Speaker A:You can sit in the quietness and just reflect upon this internally in your mind.
Speaker A:You can grab your journal out, which is what I like to do?
Speaker A:And ask yourself, does what I'm consuming draw me closer to God or is it distracting me from Him?
Speaker A:And where do you feel stirring in your heart that God is calling you to slow down and to be more mindful of?
Speaker A:Is it creating space for Him?
Speaker A:More silence?
Speaker A:Spending time in His Word, listening to reflections on His Word?
Speaker A:Come on over and share Inside the Facebook Community Finding youg Purpose Discernment and Strategy for Catholic Moms where you will feel the Holy Spirit guiding you to better hear his voice.
Speaker A:And let us know where you feel the Holy Spirit guiding you to better hear his voice.
Speaker A:We'd love to know and cheer you on and support you.
Speaker A:You never know how you can encourage inspire others within the group.
Speaker A:Now 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 B:I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Speaker A:I'll meet you next Tuesday for another conversation.
Speaker B:Until then, may God bless you and bring you peace.
Speaker B:Thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker B:I pray that today's episode blesses and encourages you.
Speaker B:If so, would you please share it with someone you know that would be blessed by it.
Speaker B: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.
Speaker B:The show and for me to reach other Catholic women like yourself.
Speaker B:If you're feeling uncertain or lost on your discernment journey, you're not alone.
Speaker B:Join us over in the free Facebook community where Catholic women just like you are sharing, supporting and growing together in faith.
Speaker B:I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Speaker A:God bless you.
