With the noise surrounding you, hearing God’s still, small voice can seem impossible. Our culture is filled with constant noise and voices: relationships, tasks, media, news, opinions. They cry so loudly demanding your attention, shutting them out is difficult. Somehow, you need to step away from the noise so you can hear His voice.
You can step away from the noise and hear that still, small voice!
First, you’ll need to identify three types of noise constantly surrounding you. By following the example of Jesus, you can then take intentional steps away from those noises.
1. Daily Noise
As a mom, your days are filled with noise. Children crying for attention. Husbands needing help. Tasks waiting on the checklist. Not to mention the voices from outside your home: culture, other relationships, ministry, work. These voices can be positive or negative, but either way, they can be overwhelming.
Jesus understands! He spent His years in ministry surrounded by crowds wanting something from Him. His days were filled with teaching, healing, casting out demons. Did even Jesus step away from the noise? Yes! The Gospels tell us how Jesus stepped away. “And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time” (Mark 1:35, NASB). Luke goes further and adds this was Jesus’ habit. “But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray” (Luke 5:16).
In these short passages, Jesus models three principles that will help us step away from the noise.
Step away often.
On a regular basis. Every day. Do something intentional to step away. Sit down as you eat a meal. Step outside and whisper a prayer. Enjoy a dedicated prayer time. If Jesus needed to step away often, so do we.
Step away from the good.
Jesus stepped away from His good ministry activity and relationships so He could return refreshed. We should do the same. Not forever, just long enough to be refreshed.
Step away with purpose.
We’re not simply seeking “me time” that leaves us unsatisfied and unfulfilled. Jesus sought a place of solitude to pray. To follow Jesus’ example, we should step away with purpose to connect with our Father.
2. Mental & Emotional Noise
While your daily life is filled with external noise, your life is also filled with internal noise and voices. Insecurity, anxiety, grief, overwhelm, depression, anger. The voices of your own mind and emotions can cry louder than the voices around you. How do you step away from yourself?
Once again, Jesus offers some helpful principles soon after the death of John the Baptist, his forerunner and his cousin. “Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself” (Matthew 14:13a). In Mark’s account of the same situation, we see Jesus calling His disciples, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a little while” (Mark 6:31).
Again, we receive three principles from Jesus that can help us.
Allow emotional space.
Jesus needed space to grieve. His cousin had been executed. So He allow space for grief. Rather than stuff our emotions down with determination to keep going, we would be wise to do the same.
Call others to step away with you.
This time, Jesus did not step away alone. He called His disciples to step away and rest, too. Moms, let’s be sure we’re giving our families time to rest. We’re not the only ones who need space from mental and emotional noise.
Renew your purpose, then step back in.
Jesus went to a secluded place, but “when the people heard about this, they followed Him on foot from the cities” (Matthew 14:13b). Jesus then felt compassion and ministered to them. We, too, step away so we can step back in to relationship with people.
3. Spiritual Noise
You face the external, daily noise and the internal, emotional noise on a daily basis, but there’s another type of noise screaming for your attention. The louder it cries, the harder it is to hear the quiet voice of Jesus. It’s the voice of your spiritual enemy. He speaks in accusations and temptations. He speaks in lies because he is the father of lies.
Once again, Jesus knows what it’s like. He also received direct temptation from Satan. How did He respond? In Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13, we find the account of Jesus being tempted. How did He respond? With God’s Word. He countered every attack with Scripture. Finally, the devil “left Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13).
The principles are a bit different this time.
You can’t simply step away.
Stepping into solitude and silence will not silence this voice.
Speak God’s Word to silence this noise.
You must speak God’s Word to silence the voice of the enemy. He’s just making noise. He has already been defeated by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus is already victorious, and he knows it. You just need to declare what the Bible says is true.
Options for Stepping Away:
- Enjoy a devotional time early in the morning with your Bible, prayer, and worship.
- Set prayer stops on your phone for various times throughout the day to say a quick prayer.
- Sit down to eat a meal and take a moment to pray.
- Stop long enough to pray for a friend and encourage them in a text.
- Step outside, look at God’s Creation, and whisper a prayer.
- And much more!
However it looks for you, choose to step away from the noise of daily life so you can hear the still, small voice of your Father!
Monthly Restful Habit: Step Away from the Noise
Join us in this month’s Restful Homeschool Habit. We’re choosing to step away from the noise!