The Voices

I have a confession to make. I hear voices. Please don’t send those nice young men in their clean white suits to take me away!

The Bible describes Satan as the Accuser. Who does he accuse? Believers. For me, Satan’s voice sounds like this, “You’re not good enough. You deserve the bad things that happen to you. You are a burden to God and to your family. You don’t deserve good things; you certainly don’t deserve to be loved. There is something wrong with you.” I have spent most of my life hearing that voice; hearing it, listening to it, living by it.

Satan is also described as a Liar. The best lies are the ones with an element of truth. This voice that I hear does actually speak the truth, because you see, I’m not good enough and I do deserve bad things. If perfection is what God required, then I’m not there. But Satan’s voice doesn’t tell the whole story.

Thirty years ago God called me to Himself and saved me – I remember being in awe of the fact that God loved me even though I was so unworthy. Another Voice entered my head at that time, the Voice that said, “God loves you so much that He gave His one and only Son for you, so that you would not perish, but have eternal life with Him.” But Satan the Deceiver’s voice was not silenced, and over the years I have often listened to that voice rather than the voice of the One who loves me.

As I have filled my mind and my heart with Scripture over the years I have found that I hear God’s voice rather than Satan’s. But every once in a while I find myself struggling, despairing over my sin, depressed with my circumstances, despondent because not only is this all there will ever be but this is all I deserve. I find that I have been listening to Satan’s lies without even realizing it. Somehow he snuck in while I wasn’t looking and started whispering half-truths in my ear. And I listened. I forgot that God loves me, that He delights in me, that my presence brings Him great joy. Imagine that, I bring joy to God!

I have a feeling that I am not the only one with this problem; if you are honest you will admit that you hear voices too. We all have voices in our heads; the question is which voice do we listen to? Which voice do we believe? Which voice do we live by?

Lord,
Shut the mouths of the voices in my head,
speak Your Voice and Your Truth into my spirit.
Rule my heart and my mind,
my soul and my body.


Rebecca A Givens, 7/20/2008