I grew up in a very loud home. You would have thought there were a dozen children living under our roof at times, not just a family of four. Television on, three dogs barking, Mom clanging around in the kitchen, Dad sawing something in the garage, sister chatting on the phone, neighborhood kids in and out the front door, grandparents, great grandparents, and great, great aunts all over for big family dinners. It was a loud home.
People who live in large cities like New York say that they learn to live with the noise around them. The sirens, music in the streets, and honking horns all become just background noise. Even now as I sit writing this devotional, I hear the television on in the background, music playing on my computer, and two dogs pulling every toy they have out of the toy basket. Trust me. It’s quite loud in this room at this moment.
But what happens when I turn off the television, turn the music down on the computer, or put the dogs out to run in the yard? What happens when the room is silent, and I am left alone with my computer, my thoughts, and my prayers?
In Psalm 46:10, we read, “Be still, and know that I am God.” In stillness, we find Him. In stillness, He becomes the loudest voice in the room—though not the only voice because our shared prayers of confession, of need, of sorrow, of hope, of strength, and of love mix with His words to bring an incredible peace.
The world is indeed loud right now. Whether you realize it or not, there are many voices in the room around you: news stories, social media, phone calls, emails, virtual/home schooling and more—so many distractions in our busy lives. Perhaps like me, you have grown accustomed to the noise. You find at times you actually need it. But do you really? Maybe you just need to listen for His voice as you let the other noises fade away into barely audible ambient sounds, giving your attention to the loudest voice in the room, God’s voice.