Everything Under the Son
Because JESUS is my everything
What voice are you listening to?
Monday, September 08, 2008
I think we all have them...those voices that speak negativity to us. Sometimes those voices are attached to other people. Instead of speaking encouragement and love, they speak negativity and judgment. Sometimes the voice is in our head, reminding us of all that we are not, and all that we never can be.
It's a hard one...not listening to those voices. As the old saying goes, if you hear something enough times, you truly start to believe it. I think this really comes into play with these voices. After hearing that you are not smart enough, not thin enough, not pretty enough, not rich enough, not (insert your 'thing' here) enough...we begin to believe that to be truth about ourselves.
I am guilty of this. Guilty of letting all of the voices (other people's and the ones in my head) tell me I am not ever enough, and I have believed it. Over the last several months. though, I have been working at being intentional about NOT listening when those voices begin to speak to me. You see, really there is only ONE VOICE that matters...God's.
A while back I was convicted that I was listening to every voice but God's. I have found myself distant from Him, not something I am proud of. The truth is that I have to know His voice to hear His voice...and knowing Him means spending time with Him, reading His words, and drawing near to Him. I am working on all of that. I am finding that the more I know Him, the more I recognize His voice. It wasn't that the Lord wasn't speaking to me, it was that I wasn't listening.
Now that I am listening to the One True Voice of my Father, I hear Him saying things like:
"For I know the plans I have for you (Anne)," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." --Jeremiah 29:11 (italics mine)
"You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out." --Deuteronomy 28:6
"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." --Proverbs 31:30
"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven." --Matthew 10:32
The Lord also used the lyrics to this popular christian song to minister to my heart. He used these words to remind me of the voice I am to always be listening for...and that voice is the VOICE OF TRUTH!
It's a hard one...not listening to those voices. As the old saying goes, if you hear something enough times, you truly start to believe it. I think this really comes into play with these voices. After hearing that you are not smart enough, not thin enough, not pretty enough, not rich enough, not (insert your 'thing' here) enough...we begin to believe that to be truth about ourselves.
I am guilty of this. Guilty of letting all of the voices (other people's and the ones in my head) tell me I am not ever enough, and I have believed it. Over the last several months. though, I have been working at being intentional about NOT listening when those voices begin to speak to me. You see, really there is only ONE VOICE that matters...God's.
A while back I was convicted that I was listening to every voice but God's. I have found myself distant from Him, not something I am proud of. The truth is that I have to know His voice to hear His voice...and knowing Him means spending time with Him, reading His words, and drawing near to Him. I am working on all of that. I am finding that the more I know Him, the more I recognize His voice. It wasn't that the Lord wasn't speaking to me, it was that I wasn't listening.
Now that I am listening to the One True Voice of my Father, I hear Him saying things like:
"For I know the plans I have for you (Anne)," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." --Jeremiah 29:11 (italics mine)
"You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out." --Deuteronomy 28:6
"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." --Proverbs 31:30
"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven." --Matthew 10:32
The Lord also used the lyrics to this popular christian song to minister to my heart. He used these words to remind me of the voice I am to always be listening for...and that voice is the VOICE OF TRUTH!
Oh,what I would do to have
the kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is,
And he's holding out his hand
But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win,
you'll never win."
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
Oh, what I would do
to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
you'll never win."
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
But the stone was just the right size
to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don't seem so high
from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
singing over me
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says do not be afraid
And the voice of truth says this is for my glory
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe
I will listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe
'Cause Jesus you are the voice of truth
And I will listen to you.. oh you are
the kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is,
And he's holding out his hand
But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win,
you'll never win."
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
Oh, what I would do
to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
you'll never win."
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
But the stone was just the right size
to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don't seem so high
from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
singing over me
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says do not be afraid
And the voice of truth says this is for my glory
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe
I will listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe
'Cause Jesus you are the voice of truth
And I will listen to you.. oh you are
Now more than ever, I am convicted that the only voice that matters is the one that belongs to my Father. His voice is the only one I need to listen to. I can identify so much with the lines in the song about the voices reminding me of all the times I have failed, and all the ways I am not good enough. But to all of the 'other' voices, I have a new thing. Picture me with my fingers in my ears, my voice saying LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA! That is my new approach to all of the negative, worldly voices. "The voice of truth tells me a different story" and I am listening!
What about you? Are there voices that seem to speak more loudly to you than the Voice of Truth? How can we drown out the maddening noise and focus on the voice that matters? And share some of the things that God is speaking to you...what ways has He encouraged you with His voice?
What about you? Are there voices that seem to speak more loudly to you than the Voice of Truth? How can we drown out the maddening noise and focus on the voice that matters? And share some of the things that God is speaking to you...what ways has He encouraged you with His voice?
posted by Anne, 3:55 PM
2 Comments:
Wonderful thoughts, Anne! Thank you for sharing. It's easy to get so caught up listening to those "other" voices, that we fail to see the tear gently rolling down God's cheek as He stretches out His arms towards us; we fail to hear HIS voice saying, "Please, my precious child, don't believe those lies. Listen to MY voice! I will always tell you the truth."
Thanks for reminding us of the only voice that matters.
Thanks for reminding us of the only voice that matters.
Voices in my head, voices of others - Yes! I struggle with those voices. You word so beautifully an ugly struggle. I have been fighting those voices more lately because I have not been in the word. Great post! Thanks!
