Why a silent carpenter might be your best guide when everything feels unclear.
Most of us don’t struggle with knowing what’s right. We struggle with what Joseph never seemed to struggle with:
Acting on it.
Joseph never gives a speech in Scripture. He doesn’t ask for signs, bargaining chips, or a clearer plan. He receives a word from God, gets up, and moves.
For anyone who feels stuck, anxious, overwhelmed, or trapped in indecision—that’s a gift.
Here’s how to let St. Joseph teach you how to decide well, move forward, and stop looping in mental circles.
1. Start With Listening, Not Reacting
Joseph learned to listen before he acted. He didn’t act until after he received instructions from God in a dream.
Most of our worst decisions come from reacting instead of listening. So here’s a simple, Joseph-style practice to help you make decisions:
The 60-Second Pause
- Before you respond, say yes, say no, or hit send…
- Pause for sixty seconds.
- Ask: “Lord, what are You actually saying here?”
You’d be shocked how big of a difference a deep breath and a minute of stillness can make.
2. Make Decisions Through Trust, Not Fear
Joseph’s decisions didn’t make sense on paper:
- Marry a woman pregnant with a child that isn’t yours
- Flee to a foreign country with no plan
- Uproot your life based on a dream
But they made sense in trust. Fear asks, “What if I’m wrong?” Trust asks, “What is God asking right now?”
Try this: If the decision you’re facing feels paralyzing, name the fear underneath it.
Is it fear of failure? Fear of conflict? Fear of disappointing someone? Fear of choosing “wrong”?
Joseph moved because his trust in God was bigger than his fear of uncertainty. And the same will be true for you.
3. Move Before You Feel Ready
Joseph didn’t wait for perfect clarity or reassurance. Without hesitating, he moved at the prompting of God.
He didn’t pray for another dream. He didn’t gather three more confirmations. He didn’t run it by twelve people. He woke up and moved.
Joseph’s Rule: If God has already spoken, clarity won’t come from more thinking. It will come from moving.
Ask yourself:
- Have I already heard God speak through Scripture?
- Through the Church?
- Through my responsibilities?
- Through the situation right in front of me?
If the answer is yes…then action—not more analysis—is your next right step.
4. Try the “Joseph Discernment Model”
Here’s a simple 3-step framework drawn straight from Joseph’s life:
Step 1: Listen
Quiet your heart. Ask simply: “Lord, what are You asking of me?”
Step 2: Trust
Name the fear that emerges after hearing God’s invitation. Replace it with a concrete truth: “God will not abandon me as I take this step.”
Step 3: Move
Do the smallest next faithful thing:
- Make the call
- Send the email
- Set the boundary
- Say yes
- Say no
- Move your feet, even one step
Joseph’s obedience wasn’t dramatic. It was small, consistent, and decisive. Joseph doesn’t just teach us how to decide. He teaches us how to move with God instead of around Him.
St. Joseph, Pray for Us