Whose Voice Defines You?
Every morning I roll out of bed, throw on my clothes and fit in a quick workout. Combined with a podcast, this routine gets my heart pumping and my attitude in check. This morning, I was listening to one of my favorites, Jonathan David and Melissa Helser, as they talked to a group of worship pastors about the voice that defines us. The podcast is an old one but is hands down one of my favorites and today, in the middle of this coronavirus mess – it seemed even more applicable than ever.
Over the past few weeks we’ve gone from being a work driven, non -stop, on the go society to a stay at home, shelter in place, screeching halt world. In the blink of an eye – everything changed. The cares we had a month ago seem trivial in the face of income loss and loss of life. Now, we sit on the edge of our couch cushions waiting, watching and wondering when life will return to normal.
As we navigate this season of social distancing, quarantine, job loss, fear, economic collapse shortened academic year and much more – whose voice will define us? Will it be the press conferences and news reports that we hear on TV? Will it be the messages we receive through our social media platforms? Will it be the feelings that surround us as we face a slower than normal schedule and days filled with waiting and concern?
For our sake, I hope that it will be the voice of our Father and the whispers of our faith that defines us. I hope that we will be able to close our eyes amidst the mayhem and hear our Father’s voice reminding us of who He is and whose we are. The word says that we are loved, purposed, woven in to the tapestry of all He created, made in His image, redeemed and forgiven. He has called us by name and we are His! I don’t know about you but that’s the stuff that I want defining me. Not headlines and news reports and labels. Not clicks and likes and follows and shares.
If something other than our Father’s voice defines us then we will find ourselves much like Adam and Eve in the garden. In this season of uncertainty, it could be easier than ever for our insecurities to raise their ugly heads and if we listen to any voice other than the Father then we will believe those lies. But if we can listen to His still small voice then this difficult time can be covered with hope and faith, seasoned with beautiful acts of kindness and love and sprinkled with grace and mercy. We can be reminded that when God’s voice is the loudest in our lives – it will calm the raging storm around us and lead us safely to the other side.
Let’s do that! Let’s choose to let His voice define us, not just in the middle of this mess but each and every day.
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