It’s Time to Find Your Voice  

By John E. Thomas

The noisy world we live in—so much noise! All the time!—doesn’t make it easy for us to find the special, divinely crafted voice God instilled within us. 

Social media cries out for our attention. Other people’s opinions run rampant and claim space in our thoughts. Even parents, children, spouses, pastors, friends, favorite ministry voices, favorite media icons, and favorite authority figures give us pictures of who we should be, what we should want, and how we should live.  

Not all of those voices are harmful, of course, but how can we find our voice—our own voice—in the midst of so much noise? And why is this important? Why does the rest of the world actually need us to find our voice? 

Here are a few ideas. 

1. Slow Down 

It’s amazing how busy we can be when we have “nothing to do.” Much of the world was in lockdown for months, yet I constantly talk to people who feel busier than ever. How do we slow down? 

When God created the world, He instituted an essential practice: the Sabbath. He created Adam and Eve just before the Sabbath so the first thing they would experience was rest. If we start making room for the Sabbath, it will change our spiritual lives and give us some space and quiet to find our voice. 

But how do we “Sabbath” in a busy, technological world that never sleeps and doesn’t take breaks?  

I think practicing the Sabbath means pushing pause on those things we feel we have to do and taking a day to do only what we want to do. The world won’t stop spinning if we stop performing for a little while. One day out of seven, we can stop, rest, contemplate, and delight. 

When God rested, He took the time to consider what He had accomplished. He looked at it and saw it was good. So when you practice the Sabbath, take time to think about what you’ve been doing—your priorities, your accomplishments, and the places where you messed up. Decide on changes, if you need to. Delight. Don’t just stop and rest, but find a way to delight yourself in God’s goodness. Maybe this means hanging out with your friends and playing games, taking long walks in nature, reading a book, cooking a meal (if that’s a delight to you), or engaging a hobby. 

It’s amazing what slowing down can do for our hearts! This simple act confronts our need to “be God” in our families, jobs, or other circumstances. It removes the sound of all the other voices, so we can discover our voice. It also shows us what we run to for comfort, and it makes room for us to be with our Father.  

As you practice the Sabbath, be sure to turn your heart toward the Lord. Sabbath is more than a day off—it’s disengaging with the things you have to do in order to be with God, who’s the deepest desire of your heart. Invite Him into your Sabbath, and in everything you do that day, practice being aware of Him. 

2. Meditate 

Another key way to find your voice is to meditate on God’s voice. What has He been revealing to you in Scripture? Turn His Word into prayer, and engage your spirit as you read it, not just your mind. If you’re unfamiliar with this beautiful practice, read the book I coauthored with John Paul Jackson: The Art of Praying the Scriptures.  

 
Also, what have you been dreaming about and seeing in your spirit lately? What hopes do you have for the future? Meditate on your dreams and visions, and ask God what He’s showing you about who you are and what He created you to do. Invite Him into your hopes and ask for clarity. How can you prepare for their fulfillment? What practical steps can you take? 

Think about the spiritual gifts you’ve noticed operating in your life recently. How have you been serving others, and what has God done through your service? When a particular spiritual gift consistently manifests through you, it likely points to something bigger that God wants to do with you. 

3. Figure Out Your Passions 

What are you passionate about? Do you know?  

That’s fine if you don’t know. Just ask yourself a related question: “What bugs me?”  

You’ll often be able to figure out your passions by realizing what irritates you. Your passions (and irritations) tell you what you value. If something bothers you, it’s because it violates something you value. What is that value? That’s part of your voice. 

Who Are You? 

Much of what I’ve suggested here is a path of self-discovery. Our voice comes out of who we really are. We’ll find our voice when we’re our true self.  

But this isn’t the therapeutic self-discovery exalted in the world—this is God speaking what He created us to be. We can’t find out who we really are by staring at the soul and its movements—what we think, what we want, what we feel. We uncover the truth about ourselves by recognizing His activity in our lives. 

 
When we slow down and start to make room for what is truly important, we discover that our values are slightly different than other people’s. God made us a particular way. Our time with Him allows us to hear His voice as He speaks identity into us. His power moving through us tells us what He is blessing in all our activity. Our passions and even frustrations show us the values that make us unique. 

When we live that unique life, we find our voice. When we allow our voice to be heard, it reveals an aspect of God’s glory that is manifested only through us. He placed a part of Himself within us at our forming, and it is that voice that joins with the symphony of creation giving Him glory.  

It’s time to find your voice!