Voices

Everything around her was shouting for her to react to the pandemonium. "Come and join the uproar. Become like us. Embrace the noise. Welcome the chaos and confusion." You know you can't have one without the other. "You'll see, it will be a wonderful party of helter-skelter. Then when it all slows down we can make a deal with busyness. We promise if you join forces with Mr. B. he won't let you down. You will be so preoccupied with projects, infatuated with gourmet delights, drunk with the loveliest of beverages and consumed with great entertainment, that you will not be able to hear the other voices. Fear, worry, anxiety, wondering, despair...they will all fade away to the background."

She thought for a moment. "If those voices are in the background then that means that they are still there." The people laughed. "Better the voices in the background than the other Voice." "Which voice is that?" They paused and shuddered. "The Voice of surrender. It's the Voice that wants us to be still and reflect. It's the Voice that wants us to look at our lives and give things to Him. It's the Voice that calls us to love when we want to hold onto our bitterness and anger. It's the Voice that wants us to come clean of all our secrets and be forgiven. It's the Voice of Majesty." Mystified, she shook her head in disbelief. "Compared to the other voices, this Voice doesn't sound too bad." They laughed and rolled their eyes. "Are you kidding? That means we have to give up control. If we listened to that Voice we would have to process all of our emotions. That means we would have to prioritize our lives. That's a lot of work. We don't want to battle this torment all around us. It's easier to pretend it isn't there. It's easier to cope with our own vices, our own gods." She paused, completely in awe at their hardness of heart and inability to see the insanity of what they were saying. She chose her next words carefully, lovingly, and thoughtfully.

"It sounds like this Voice, this other Voice, is offering to help you fight and to have peace within these storms. Maybe there will be some work involved but won't it be worth it? Won't the calm in your soul be worth the effort? Why not let Him into your turmoil?" They shook their heads in defeat. "We are too set in our ways. It's just too hard. Too messy. Too uncomfortable. It doesn't take any strength or effort to live like we want. We choose to stay in our confusion and torment. We know how to keep it at bay. It can live in the backdrop of our lives while we eat, drink, binge, busy ourselves to keep our souls occupied."

She walks away feeling devastated, sad for these that had no fight in them. Weak in spirit. Stubborn. Cold. Lovers of their own lives. Hope offered but choosing to listen to the destructive voices. They had chosen to be comfortable yet suffering and dying inside, never growing into their true selves and never reaching their full potential. She decided to listen to the Voice.

And in the days ahead what she discovered was that the battle was very real but there was a peace in the midst of it. Whenever she would weaken, a new strength would arise from within, as well as a new strategy. It was amazing that as hard as she fought she found herself growing stronger, more confident and secure. And there was life like she had never experienced and joy and a knowing. A knowing that she was where she was supposed to be. That she was living out her purpose. That she was making a difference in her world. That even though she was imperfect, she was enough. But she knew it was not only her but it was the One behind the Voice. It was Majesty, It was Savior. It was Hope. It was God.