Thin Air, High Hope

In a world filled with countless voices—those of injustice, culture, and consumerism, as well as our own internal monologues of guilt and anxiety—it’s often overwhelming. I used to think of myself as a “people-pleaser,” but that term doesn’t quite fit anymore. I can say “no” when I’m certain it’s the right answer. What confounds me are the hundreds of perspectives regarding what is valuable, what is best, what should be pursued, and what should be left behind.

I recently found myself describing this to Alex using the metaphor of a blindfolded child trying to hit a piñata, guided by a cacophony of voices from a crowd. Everyone has their own motives—some want the candy, some genuinely wish for my success, while others, perhaps eyeing the piñata themselves, may not offer the best guidance. Amid this chorus of suggestions and advice, I wondered aloud to Alex, “How do I know where to swing? How do I sift through the noise to hear that one defining voice?”

And there it was—the answer staring me in the face. The only voice I need to focus on is One.

In the clamor of worldly and religious expectations about how we should look, act, or what we should value, there’s only one voice I need to strain to hear: that of my Father in heaven. He genuinely has my best interests at heart and, in a surprising twist, is easier to please than most people around me. He yearns to guide me, whispering directions into my ear, and I can trust Him implicitly.

My aim for this year is to better tune into God’s voice. I’m not entirely sure what that journey entails, but I trust that God, who also desires this connection, will lead the way. In a world full of noise, my goal is to focus on the only voice that truly matters. After all, God’s desires don’t go unfulfilled.

Here’s a poignant thought from my Barclay commentary on the book of Mark, regarding listening to God’s voice. May this year be one not of closing our ears to drown out the noise, but of straining to hear that singular, most meaningful voice.

Curious…

• Have you ever felt the need to “block out the noise” in order to better focus on what truly matters to you? How did you go about it?
• Do you believe that God’s desires won’t go unfulfilled? Why or why not? Does that belief bring you comfort or fear?