Business leaders of faith who want to honor God in their professional lives might seek His wisdom when faced with tough decisions. However, many Christian leaders struggle to discern God’s voice amidst the noise of everyday responsibilities. Learning how to hear God’s voice requires intentionality, patience, and an open heart to heed His direction. Fortunately, there are actionable steps you can take to seek out His voice and become more empowered to discern God’s will in your daily decision-making.
1. Create Space to Listen to God
Just as the prophet Habakkuk actively positioned himself to hear from God (Habakkuk 2:1), in today’s digitized world, you must intentionally remove distractions and set aside quiet time for spiritual reflection.
Designate a block of time each day for prayer, where you can meditate on key Scriptures related to guidance (Psalm 46:10). During these wisdom-seeking sessions, free yourself from digital distractions by turning off notifications and finding a quiet space to help you hear His voice.
For example, a Christian CEO could implement a morning “listening hour” before making key business decisions, leading to increased clarity and peace.
2. Actively Wait for His Response
Waiting to hear God’s response requires trusting His divine timing rather than rushing into decisions. During times of uncertainty, God may confirm, redirect, or redefine your desires to guide you closer to the plan He has set for you.
Even still, waiting is an active endeavor, not a passive one (Isaiah 40:31). While waiting for His discernment, pray with an expectant heart, believing that God will answer your prayers. Look for patterns in the Scripture or recurring themes in life, and seek wise counsel while keeping your heart open to God’s direction.
For instance, you may sense God telling you to pause an expansion plan. In waiting, He may uncover a better opportunity that aligns with his Kingdom’s purpose.
3. Write Down What You Hear
Recording God’s guidance through journaling helps you process and retain His direction, even if it’s not evidently clear at first (Habakkuk 2:2).
If you don’t know where to begin, start by recording your daily prayers, impressions, and Scripture insights. Though a seemingly simple task, journaling will help you track answered prayers and identify recurring themes in the guidance you seek. It can bring clarity when making complex decisions and strengthen your faith by showing you evidence of God’s faithfulness when you sought His wisdom in the past.
4. Obey and Trust His Direction
Learning to hear God’s voice is meaningless if you’re unwilling to act on His guidance (James 1:22). Sometimes, God’s direction isn’t fully clear until we take the first step in faith.
Delayed obedience can lead to missed opportunities for blessing, and only in walking in His light can we find clarity. You can cultivate a heart of obedience by taking small steps of faith while seeking God’s confirmation. Challenge yourself to surrender your personal agenda to trust in God’s sovereignty.
How to Hear God’s Voice and Act in His Truth
Christian business leaders can learn how to hear God’s voice through intentional listening, patient waiting, clear journaling, and faithful obedience. Commit to practicing just one of these tips this week and invite God to bring more clarity to your decision-making.
As you go about your week, consider the following reflection questions to help guide you on this journey:
- What steps can you take this week to position yourself to hear God more clearly?
- Which of these four practices is most challenging for you?
If you’re interested in joining a group of trusted Christian CEOs and business leaders where you can gain the wisdom, tools, and support for transformation in your business and faith journey, join C12 South Florida.
Steve Sargent
Principal Chair
