You’ve heard the loud, overpowering voices in your life. They’re the ones who question every decision you make – about parenting, career, relationships, and life. They’re the ones who criticize everything you do. They’re the ones who make you feel like less of a person because you don’t act or believe the same way they do.
Those loud voices won’t go away. But you can change your understanding about those voices so they don’t have to affect you so negatively.
Here are three truths you need to understand about those loud, overpowering voices in your life.
Their volume doesn’t mean authority.
More talk and more volume doesn’t add any more authority to what they have to say. People who are 100% wrong can have just as much volume as people who are 100% right. And they can sound just as convincing. Don’t fall for it.
True authority doesn’t have to yell. True authority can be whispered, because it has the strength of truth supporting it.
Their volume comes from insecurity.
There’s a funny story of a fire and brimstone preacher who died. His preaching notes were found in a drawer. Scribbled on each sermon, there were handwritten messages: Weak point, yell.
Often, the people who are the loudest are the least secure in what they have to offer. Instead of feeling so annoyed by the loud, obnoxious voices in our lives, we should have compassion on them. We can understand that they’re drowning in insecurity, and this is the only thing they know to do. You don’t have to let them affect you so much.
Their volume doesn’t require an answer.
Finally, you don’t have to defend yourself to every loud voice that seeks to tell you how to live your life. You can keep doing what you need to do. And if it gets bad enough, don’t be afraid to tell them to “back off”. I’ve said that to sales people. To co-workers (who were even pastors). To family members. You can either seethe inside or fix the situation and start loving them.
But you don’t have to defend yourself. That’s a waste of time.
Loud voices don’t have to dominate your decisions. Understand that there’s no real authority in their volume and keep following God’s plan for your life. His still, quiet voice is the one that really matters.