God’s Quiet Voice in a Noisy World
“The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV)
Not long ago, my beloved and I were on a sunset party boat with soft, romantic songs playing in the background. As the evening wore on, though, the music grew louder and more boisterous, to the point where it was painful to be near the speakers.
There was no escape. The watercraft was small, and it wasn’t my place to control the volume. I wound up covering my ears with my hands until we returned to the dock. Wish I had taken earplugs!
It’s a noisy world out there. Between traffic, heavy machinery at workplaces, shrieks of children or dogs, and speakers blasting at concerts, we’re constantly barraged by sounds. Over years, high decibel levels reduce our ability to hear clearly. Hearing aid sales are expected to grow by $3.17 billion by 2028.1
All the clattering and thumping in our ears makes it hard for us to hear God every day. How can we still our souls long enough to find out what He wants us to share with us?
To truly listen to what the Lord is saying to you, it will probably cost you some effort.
Look at Elijah. He fled into the wilderness to escape death threats from Queen Jezebel, walking more than 40 days until he arrived at Mt. Horeb and spent the night in a cave. God called Elijah out to hear a trio of noisemakers—a wind strong enough to break rocks, followed by an earthquake, and finally a blazing fire.
Only afterward did God speak…in a still small voice, giving clear instructions and sending him away with renewed energy. The Lord showed Elijah that He would speak when Elijah’s heart was quieted and ready to listen.
Do you crave some clear-cut directions as Elijah did? Start with time alone in a quiet place. That could be your kitchen at 5:30 a.m. or your vehicle in a parking lot. It could be a woodland path or the sanctuary of a nearby church.
Need to avoid distracting sounds or conversations? Carry along a set of earplugs, or listen to quiet instrumental hymns from a music streaming service via noise-reducing earphones.
Make “an appointment with God,” book it on your calendar, and keep it for an hour, maybe an entire weekend. (The Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove near Asheville is the perfect place for a personal spiritual retreat, to get out into the forest for a hike alone with God.2)
Turn off your cellphone apps, and open your Bible. Read aloud prayers from the psalmists as well as the gospels/letters of the New Testament. Read especially through verses like Zephaniah 3:17 (above) about God’s love and His rejoicing over you. Use a journal to write down what God tells you through His powerful Scriptures.
Recognize that God’s messages to you won’t necessarily be audible. But He will speak with you, nonetheless, as you meditate on His promises, His attributes, and His commandments. Listen closely for the still, small voice of His Holy Spirit, speaking His truth into your heart.
At some point in the future, Jesus Christ will return for His day of judgment—with the giant blast of a trumpet. There will be no escaping it. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.
Until then, we who love Him need to give Him our full attention as often as possible away from the world’s lure. We need to silence the sounds in our ears and the voices in our heads. We won’t hear the leading of His Holy Spirit without doing so.
Take heart, friend. There are more quiet opportunities available to you than you might think, if you simply look for them. Sometimes all it takes is turning off the TV.
My prayer for you is that you will make and keep one appointment this week with God, to be quiet at His feet. May He reward you with a keen sense of His presence, and may His peace surround you. May He rejoice over you in gladness, and may you hear “the music of the spheres” as He quietly sings His love song over you.
Wise and loving God, gentle Jesus, and whispering Holy Spirit—help me find a way to step aside from the clamor of the world to spend time in prayer with You this week. Lift up my heart by Your faithful words and promises of Scripture. Help me to know You more clearly as I read about Your attributes and listen to Your commandments. Let me take Your promises to heart as You speak Your vision into my heart. Give me renewed energy to face the challenges ahead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Nancy C. Williams is a Christian wife/mom with a writing career spanning more than 40 years in business and journalism. Williams is the author of the novel To Love a Falcon and the devotional book A Crocus in the Desert: Devotions, Stories, and Prayers for Women Experiencing Infertility. Her blogs are featured on Crossmap.com and AriseDaily. To follow Nancy’s posts and news, go to her home page at NancyCWilliams.com and subscribe at the bottom.
© Copyright 2025 Nancy C. Williams (text and photography). Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. #quiettime #noise #highdecibels #elijah #thecove #quiethymns #holyspirit #stillsmallvoice
