The Tragedy of Noise

For years people have told me that hearing God's still, small voice inside them is nearly impossible.

I'm not surprised.

Have you ever thought about how noisy our lives are? We have tv, movies, cell phones, radios, music videos and music blaring inside our cars, supermarkets, elevators, department stores and shopping malls. There are car and bus noises, plane and train noises, also.

We hear people speaking, walking, and kids crying, whining. Folks, friends, spouses, bosses and tv commercials(and even books) tell us what we should do (and when) and what we should think. There are mp3's and online radio while we surf the net or read our email or blogs or shop online. We hear leaf blowers and lawn mowers and ambulance sirens and beeping, beepings, beepings of fast-food kitchens and check-stand machines and trucks backing up.

And that still, small voice gets drowned out.

Not exactly shocking news.

We need quiet. We need to hear from God where He wants us to take Him so that we will be in the right place at the right time to say what He wants to say through us.

He doesn't want us to live our lives off the top of our head or even as we see best. Instead, He planned before we were born to use us in specific, powerful ways ,to love others through us, using our hands and eyes and voice. 

And He wants to tell us exactly how to do all that.

How necessary, then, it becomes to listen to Him in the quiet places, to strip back, hush and silence whatever noise threatens to drown Him out.

Some noises are unavoidable. Some are not. I am on a journey to learn the difference. Oh, to crave the silence, especially during this crazy month of Christmas.

I don't want to miss one custom-made, God-planned detail.

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"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters..." ... Psalm 23:2

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me..." ... John 10:27