Why certainty feels good (and might be shutting down the conversation)

When tension rises, certainty can feel like safety. We’ve all been in a room where strong conviction takes over and starts to sound like control, self-protection, and avoidance.

In leadership, certainty is often rewarded. It feels decisive and strong. But what if discernment asks us to listen instead?

In this episode, Tanner Smith, Chase Rashad Stancle, and Sarah Johnson explore what to do with your own certainty (and someone else’s), how to respond when someone says, “God told me…,” and how to stay grounded without closing the process. Drawing on Scripture and stories from parenting, church leadership, and everyday life, they reflect on how the Holy Spirit guides communities — not just individuals — over time.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why certainty is often about control, not faith

• How to respond wisely when someone claims spiritual authority

• What it looks like to be confident and humble at the same time

Show Notes (resources + references mentioned):

• Discernment by Henri Nouwen

• Acts 15:28 — “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” (a model of shared discernment)

• Matthew 7:7–11 — “Ask, seek, knock…” (confidence rooted in relationship, not control)

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