The Shepherd’s Voice

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” John 10:2-5

The one we talk to, and listen to, the most often is the voice that will become the most familiar. If the enemy sneaks over the wall and starts telling us lies, and we hear them and believe them, they become familiar. Lies like…you messed up, you’re got good enough, no one loves you, you should be afraid, what if?, you better take control to make things work out right. Voices that tell you things that make you feel fear, anxiety, worry, shame or unworthiness are lies. God’s voice doesn’t condemn like that. His voice says come to me if you’re tired and burdened, and I will carry it for you. His voice is welcoming. It says you are more than enough, you are exactly the child I have always wanted, I love you no matter what, there is no mess so big that I can’t clean it up. This doesn’t mean that He never corrects our wrong behavior. But His voice of correction comes as a loving conviction…you need to change this, this isn’t good for you, I love you but you’re making bad choices, I have something so much better for you. There is no shame attached, no feeling that you are unloved, unworthy, or beyond help.

The noise of this world often drowns out the calm, quiet voice of God. Like the blinding excitement of the Las Vegas strip, we hear “Look at this!” “This is so fun!” “Everyone will love you if you do this!” And then the excitement is gone, and you are crushed when you find out you’ve been played. And there, in that lonely moment, you hear a quiet, loving voice. But it can’t possibly be talking to you, because you are not worthy of those things it is talking about. It’s not a familiar voice so you turn and run back to what seems more comfortable. But the more you find yourself in those lonely places, and the more you hear that loving voice, the more familiar it becomes. Maybe it could be talking to you after all. Maybe you should see what it has to say. As that voice becomes more familiar, the lies begin to sound like a stranger talking. This loving voice becomes the one you know best. You start to follow the truth, the love, and start to run away from the lies.

Make the choice to find some quiet time and ask God to speak to you. He will be so happy to oblige. He is already calling your name. Listen for the voice that tells you how much you are really worth, the one who loves broken things, the one who can fill cracked vessels with light so that it shines all around. There will be correction, and pain as He removes the old lies and shame, like pulling out a big splinter. But the healing that follows is incredible, and complete! You will be better than new, a new creation, doing things you never dreamed you would be able to do. Ask Him for the courage to trust and follow His voice. Find someone to help you to start listening for it. Then just take each step He leads you to. You don’t need to know the final plan, leave that up to Him. It will free you to give up that need for control and let Him be in charge. You can just focus on listening and walking in the direction of the shepherd’s voice.