Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Cutting through the voices

BY AARON GRAVETT

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

Social media, cable news, family, friends, people at work are all screaming to be heard and unfortunately get mad at others for not listening. These voices pull at every side, stating that they are the only ones who are right. It makes one want to go completely offline and take themselves from the stream of voices. Sometimes, this is the best thing to do. Just shut off all the voices to gain some peace of mind.

Is shutting off all voices sustainable though? We may dream (which Tiffany and I have) of finding some cabin out in the woods and becoming self-sustaining—free from all the electronic trappings of life. The question we must ask ourselves though is this— “Is that what Christ would want?” Would He want us isolated from everything and everybody? We actually know the answer to that—for He wants us to be His witness to a lost and dying world (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15). 

So how do we silence ourselves enough to hear His voice and allow Him to calm our minds?

One of the biggest answers for anyone is to have a relationship with Him. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). 

We come to know Him when we hear His beautiful voice as He convicts us of sin through the Holy Spirit, then call out to Christ and receive Him as Lord and Savior (John 1:12; Romans 10:9-10, 13). At that moment we are His children and can have free access to Him at any time through prayer. Then, because we are His sheep, we are to quiet our minds by, yes—turning off all the voices. God won’t scream over the voices to be heard. Instead, He speaks softly. Why? Because those that truly want to hear Him will search Him and truly listen to hear from Him.  

There was a time that Elijah needed to hear from God desperately in 1 Kings 19:11-18.  He was told to stand on the mount before the Lord. What proceeded is how we, too, often want to hear God: First a strong wind that was so powerful it broke the rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind. Second, an earthquake happened, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. Then, oh, then—a still small voice. When Elijah responded, it showed he was listening and then the Lord spoke to him, gave him instructions and encouraged him.

To hear the Lord as a believer and to cut through the voices, get alone with Christ, pray, worship and then open and read His word. As you do, whisper to Him, “Lord, I’m listening.” He will speak to you through His word, and you will experience His voice speaking to your heart. It is amazing and beautiful! Then when you hear His voice, follow Him.

Let this fall season be a time to truly, intimately connect to Jesus Christ again. This is the way to cut through the voices and hear the voice of the True Shepherd!