There is a song called "The Voice of Truth" sung by the musical group Casting Crowns that has been making me think quite a bit lately on the messages we hear every day. Everywhere we go, we are bombarded with messages that the world wants us to hear and believe. We don't really even have to leave our homes to hear the world's view (television, Internet).
The world tells us we must be something other than what we are most of the time. If we're not beautiful, well, we should be. If we're not successful by society's standards, then we should strive to get there. If we're overweight or not just perfect by society's standards, we need to change everything about ourselves to meet that standard and be "acceptable". There is media everywhere telling us how we should live, what we should look like, what we should believe, how we are to raise our children, and so much more. The 'world' tells us many, many lies, plain and simple. It can become very discouraging if we allow society to dictate to us how we are to live our lives. But...
This question keeps running through my mind, "who are you listening to?" I have a choice to read and "listen" to God's Word and the promises He gives me. His words are words of truth, love, grace, forgiveness, patience, kindness, and righteousness. He will never leave me, nor turn his back on me. He is always waiting for me to turn my face to Him and share my heart openly and without reservation. The Lord will never hurt me. His love for me is not contingent upon my appearance, my likes or dislikes, my family, my laugh, or anything else that is temporary. He wants my heart! He gave everything for me so that I could have eternal life. Why would I not want to listen to His voice instead of the world's voice? I have a choice and so do you.
It's a new year. January is the month each and every year when millions of people determine that they are going to make changes in their lives. I used to make those resolutions too - lose weight, be a better mom, wife, friend, daughter, niece, etc. I would set the bar so far up there that it never seemed achievable. I really believe it was because I was listening to the world's messages over what God's Word tells me is true.
My 2010 resolution is to listen to Him and to His Word; to better understand who He is and why He loves me. He cares about every little detail of my life (and yours!).
What voice are you going to listen to today? The voice of lies? Or, His voice of Truth?
2 years ago