November 25

Hearing Voices


… the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and calls them out.

John 10:3 (NLT)


I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

Psalm 16:7-8 (NLT)


The Lord is my shepherd….

Psalm 23:1a (NLT)


I don’t like the voices I’m hearing right now. These are the wrong voices—the voices of worry, fear and doubt. Today they stormed my study and began a whirling shouting match in my head.

“What are we going to do?”

“We don’t have this kind of money!”

“You can forget about Christmas!”

I looked at the bills on my desk: the unexpected credit card debt and that huge college tuition bill. The other bad news came last night. That bad knock under the Chrysler’s hood? For $5,500, my mechanic will make it go away.

I know we can cover the college bill, but what about these others? The voices start their angry chorus again, but they don’t fool me. I know they are echoes from a life I’ve left behind. This worrying, a form of reverse meditation, would have me in full retreat.

No. I refuse to hear their negative message. There is a better voice, a strong and cheerful voice calling me. He knows the way. His commanding tone stills my soul, leads me away from the maelstrom and breathes life into my being.


Father, open my ears and my heart to do right before You. Amen.