Blog

Noise is all around me

Coming from every direction:

My phone, the TV, the radio,

my kids, my friends, my enemies.

Who and what should I listen to?

Who and what should I tune out?

Confusion is all around:

Wars and rumors of war,

threats made, bombs dropped,

more uncomfortable noise! 

What should I do?

Who and what should I listen to?

Who and what should I tune out?

How many of us are feeling that way right now?  As I am dealing with the noise in my life I am reminded of words written by David when he found himself struggling in the midst of his noise and confusion.  The noise was too loud for him to think clearly.  So he chose, instead, to quiet himself with soul talk.  As he encouraged and quieted his soul, he was able to sort things out and lean on the ONE who had the answers – the ONE he truly needed to listen to.

I want to share with you some of David’s soul talk that I have drawn upon in the midst of my noise.

• Ps 42:11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

(Notice his positive expectations BEFORE anything had changed)

• Ps 62:1-2 My soul finds rest in God alone;

my salvation comes from Him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

(Our stability and security are found only as we listen to and lean on Him)

• Ps 138:8 The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me;

Your love, O Lord, endures forever,

Do not abandon the work of your hands.

(We are His creation, the apple of His eye – He will persist!)

• Ps 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.”

(He is the one in control – man is not)

If you find this one hard to comprehend, read the Old Testament.

And one of David’s favorite things to do was to encourage himself by remembering God’s faithfulness in the past – in his own life and in the lives of others.

• Ps 143:4-5 So my spirit grows faint within me,

my heart within me is dismayed.

I remember the days of long ago;

I meditate on all your works

and consider what your hands have done.

My good friends, we are in the midst of very noisy times.  We have never had a greater need for the peace that passes all understanding which comes from listening to and leaning on Him.  No circumstance, nor any person, has the power to provide that peace.  We can only find it in the presence of the ONE who gave it all for us.

In case you should be wondering if this could be true for you, as much as you have messed up, be reassured by these words of David:

• Ps 145:9 The Lord is good to all,

He has compassion on all He has made.

(Great news – we do not have to earn His love!)