Too Many Voices
Recently, life has dealt me a tough lesson, one I wish I didn't have to learn the hard way. It's hard to admit that I'm often the type who needs to learn things through trial and error. I do my best to heed advice and consider other people's opinions, but perhaps I've relied on external guidance a bit too much. Is it possible to be inundated with all the advice in the world, hold steadfast to guiding beliefs, and still find yourself on the brink of failure? How do you discern whose voice to follow when there are countless voices vying for your attention? The landscape is cluttered with conflicting ideas, diverse opinions, and an overwhelming influx of information. This has been my struggle. I've immersed myself in the wisdom shared through podcasts, Instagram, and the like, but I've overlooked the most crucial voice of all—the voice of my Lord.
You see, the Lord's voice doesn't always boom like thunder; it's often a gentle, quiet whisper that resonates deep within your soul. This voice can be easily dismissed, particularly because God's ways are enigmatic and don't always align with our human logic. So, when my business coach (the source of my misstep) advised me to keep my family out of my business, to cease sharing photos of them, and to focus solely on my product, I acquiesced. It seemed like sound advice from a conventional standpoint. She possessed more experience than I did, and she genuinely cared about my success. But it didn't align with the guidance I felt the Lord was imparting to me.
What I've come to realize is that the Lord's ways often defy reason. He might entrust you with a medically fragile baby just when you were on the fast track to growing your business. Yet, deep in my core, I know that if we can learn to be obedient to His voice, His ways are invariably superior and beyond our comprehension. We cannot foresee the end from the beginning, but He can. We must have faith that even when something appears to defy logic, it will eventually make sense. After all, all things work together for good for those who love the Lord.
So, my prayer is that I become more adept at listening to the only voice that truly matters, even when it appears nonsensical or contradicts the advice of experts. Perhaps our society, like myself, would benefit from dedicating less time to external voices and more time immersed in the Word and in prayer. I recognize that's precisely what I need to do.
