Good Morning Sunshine! Ignore the Sound and Follow the Voice!

John 10:27 (NIV) ~ “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

2 Samuel 5:24 (NIV) ~ “When you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”

Yesterday, we declared with boldness that God’s Word is final, “You said this, but God said That.” But even when we know God’s Word, life can still be filled with noise. The voices of fear, doubt, people’s opinions, and even our own emotions can grow so loud that they drown out truth. That’s why today we learn a deeper lesson, ignore the sound and follow the voice. The voice of God is steady, sure, and guiding, even when the sounds around you are chaotic.

All Pilots must go through training. And Pilots in training often face a critical moment, learning to trust their instruments instead of the sounds they hear or the feelings in their body. In poor visibility, a pilot can feel like the plane is turning when it’s actually level, or dropping when it’s actually steady. That’s called spatial disorientation, and if the pilot follows the sound of the engine or the feeling in their body instead of the guiding instruments, the results can be disastrous. But when they trust the instrument panel, the reliable voice of truth, they fly safely.

The same is true in life. The sounds around you may scream chaos, but God’s voice through His Word and His Spirit remains constant. Life is noisy; from social media to news headlines, from well-meaning advice to internal self-talk, we are constantly bombarded with sound. But not every sound deserves your attention. Some sounds only distract, confuse, or misleads you, but the Voice of God is sure and steady.

God’s Word reminds us in John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t say His sheep recognize every sound. He says they know His voice. Sounds can be deceiving, but His voice is distinct and true. Think about Elijah in 1 Kings 19:11–12. The Lord was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, nor was it in loud, overwhelming sounds; but instead, God’s Presence was revealed in a gentle whisper. Elijah had to tune out the noise to perceive the voice. This is the tension you face. The sound of the crowd said Jairus’s daughter was dead. But the voice of Jesus said, “She is only sleeping” (Mark 5:39). Which one was true? The sound said it’s over. The voice said there’s still life. Jairus had to ignore the sound and trust the voice. This is what you need to do, ignore the other sounds and trust the Voice of God!

Sometimes the sound comes from inside of you; fear, doubt, or anxiety can scream louder than faith. The Israelites heard the sound of the giants’ taunts in 1 Samuel 17, but David listened to the voice of God, which told him victory was already his. Sounds often create panic, but the voice of God creates peace. Philippians 4:7 tells you that God’s peace “transcends all understanding” and guards your hearts and minds. When you feel panic rising, pause and ask, “Is this the sound of fear or the voice of God?” Know the difference, and how do you learn it, by spending time in His Word and Worship!

David learned this lesson in 2 Samuel 5:24 when God told him, “When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you.” Not every sound is a distraction, sometimes God uses sound as confirmation. The key is discerning His voice within it. How do you do that? By soaking in His Word. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The more you fill yourself with Scripture, the more you recognize His voice in the midst of noise.

Jesus Himself modeled this. Surrounded by crowds and noise, He often withdrew to solitary places to pray (Luke 5:16). He chose silence with the Father over the sound of the crowd. That silence sharpened His ear to follow His Father’s voice. You must learn to do the same thing. Sometimes that means turning down the volume on distractions. Sometimes it means shutting out the noise of your own negative self-talk. Sometimes it means stepping away from environments that amplify fear.

The enemy thrives in noise. He knows if he can keep you listening to the sound of fear and your own thoughts, you won’t hear the still small voice of God’s direction. That’s why Ephesians 6:16 calls faith a shield that extinguishes the flaming arrows of the enemy, including the sounds of lies. God’s voice may not always be the loudest, but it will always be the clearest when you seek Him. Isaiah 30:21 promises, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”

Ignoring the sound and following the voice takes practice. It means learning to filter everything you hear through the Word of God. It means saying, “That’s what the noise says, but what does God’s voice say?” Think about Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:29–30). The sound of the storm told him he would sink. But the voice of Jesus said, “Come.” For as long as Peter followed the voice, he stood on the waves. The moment he paid attention to the sound; he began to sink. Beloved, the sounds around you may be loud, chaotic, or even frightening. But the voice of God is steady, faithful, and true. Don’t follow the sound, follow the voice. His voice leads to life, peace, and victory.

Let’s Pray:

Father, I thank You today for the reminder that life is filled with noise, but Your voice is the one I can always trust. Father, forgive me for the times I’ve been distracted by sounds, fear, doubt, criticism, or even my own anxious thoughts. Forgive me for letting those sounds drown out the truth of Your Word. Teach me, Lord, to discern Your voice clearly. Let my ears be trained to hear the Shepherd’s whisper even in the middle of the storm. I thank You that Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Help me to walk by Your voice, not by the noise of the crowd. Father, remind me that sounds can be deceiving, but Your voice never lies. Help me to trust in Your Word above every other report, every other opinion, and every other sound. Father, I pray for peace in my heart today. Let the peace that surpasses understanding guard my mind and silence the noise of fear and doubt. Father, help me to be like Elijah, who tuned out the wind, the earthquake, and the fire until he perceived the gentle whisper of Your presence. Make me sensitive to Your Spirit, Lord. Let me recognize when You are speaking, even when the sounds around me are chaotic. Protect me from the enemy’s lies. Let faith rise up in me so that every flaming arrow of fear is extinguished. Lord, help me to follow Your voice like Peter did on the water. Keep my eyes fixed on You, so that I do not sink when the storm rages. Surround me with Your presence and guide me with Your voice. Let me hear Your instruction clearly: “This is the way; walk in it.” Father, help me to live in daily communion with You, so that I never confuse the noise of life with the truth of Your Word. I declare today that I will ignore the sound and follow the voice. I will trust You, obey You, and rest in the confidence that You always lead me to safety. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Nugget: The sound may be loud, but the Shepherd’s voice is clear. Follow the voice.

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean