Discerning God’s Voice From the Clutter

Author: Lisa Vaught

Jeremiah 29:11—For I know the plans I have for you” . . . “plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Imagine you are Patrick Mahomes standing on GEHA field at Arrowhead Stadium, where the noise of exuberant fans is always extreme, making it the Guinness World Record holder for being the loudest outdoor stadium. This day is no exception since this game will determine who moves on to the Superbowl. With only moments left and such a close game, no mistake can be made. The sound is overwhelming, even exhilarating, but you are trying to discern the directions from the coach. Can you hear his voice through all the clutter?

Maybe the football analogy doesn’t match your personality; however, I dare say that at some point in your life, you have desired to hear from God yet had difficulty hearing Him through all the clutter. Rest assured that you are not alone. It has happened to us all at one point or another.

So how can we make sure the voice we hear is from God? We must figure out what the clutter is and ignore it. Maybe that seems too simple, but that’s exactly what we have to do.

In 597 BC, Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar was expanding his empire, defeating one nation after another, including the nation of Israel, when Babylonian forces destroyed Jerusalem and took the Jewish king and all the intellectuals into captivity. It must have seemed that all hope was lost when these Jews found themselves in Babylon, over 1600 miles away from home.

Had God forgotten them? No! As a matter of fact, God sent a reassuring message through the Prophet Jeremiah to the exiles that can be found in Jeremiah 29. In essence, God told them to settle down, grow their families, and make good lives for themselves because they were going to be there for a while. God also told them to pursue the well-being of the enemy city where they lived, praying for it because when it would thrive, they would also thrive.

It seemed a little crazy in the grand scheme of things. Wouldn’t revenge be more logical? However, God had a bigger plan in store.

I’m sure there was a lot of noise around these exiles; wailing cries for home or those loved ones that were left behind in Jerusalem, the zealots campaigning to fight against any Babylonian supporter, the doomsday preppers selling all the survival items, while the fortune-tellers instill fear to their very core! In all the hysteria, even some of the priests and prophets had lost the voice of God.

Verses 8-9 says, “... Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you and don’t listen to the dreams you elicit from them for they are prophesying falsely to you in my name. I have not sent them.” God warned the people not to listen to the clutter of fear and despair. God warned the people not to allow even their own panic and anxiety manifesting scenarios in their minds to sway them.

Instead, God’s voice continues in verses 10-11, promising restoration after 70 years, plans for their well-being, for a future, and a hope. God’s voice would not be in the hopelessness, in the fear, or in the despair. We can know God’s voice because His character is one of promise, restoration, and HOPE. It doesn’t mean He will not reprimand or redirect us when we need it, but it does mean that His final outcome is always for our better future with Him.

When you are trying to discern God’s voice in the clutter around you, eliminate any clutter that represents lies, fear, panic, anxiety, despair, hate, anger, and hopelessness. God’s voice will be the one directing you to a future and a hope with Him.

Then in verses 12-13, God says, “You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” If we pray, God will show us how to separate the clutter from His voice. Discern the voice of hope crying in the wilderness of clutter. You can rest assured that is the voice of God.

Reflection

What clutter can you remove from your life to make room for God to speak to you?