Quieting the Voices

In Proverbs 4, Solomon tells us when we choose wisdom, we are choosing good guidance and judgment. He says, “I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.” He reminds us that as we guard our heart, it determines the course of our life. If the last few months have taught me anything, it taught me that I was not guarding my heart.

Choosing to guard my heart started with controlling the voices I allowed to speak into my life. We all have them, don’t we? Voices that we’ve purposely or inadvertently allowed to speak into our lives. Voices that speak truth, lies, and everything in between. My heart was left unguarded because I was choosing to listen to the wrong voices, allowing them to influence my thought patterns and behaviors. I had a decision to make–one we all must make at some point in our lives. But it was going to be really hard.

My decision was over two years in the making. I knew I had given too much power to the voice of social media, but I had too many snares to work out of in order to forever turn those voices off. What once was a place to catch up and connect with family and old friends, became an algorithm game that showed me content I didn’t want or ask to see. I opened the apps hoping for connection and left feeling forgotten. The world’s affirmation became more important to me than God’s. But I was stuck. I had signed a book contract. I couldn’t just drop off the social media planet, because I was responsible for the promotion of my book. I wanted to run from comparison, but had literally dropped myself into the middle of its nest. I knew this voice was hurting me, but at the time I also believed I needed it for the ministry assignment God had given me. How was I going to do this? How was I going to weed through the web I had entangled myself into? How was I going to choose wisdom, and not turn my back on her, so that she would guard and protect me like Solomon said would happen?

Somewhere along the way, I had stopped using social media as a tool and allowed it to become a measure of my worth. One morning, shortly before my one-year book celebration, I had declared “enough is enough!” I was tired of going to the world before going to my Creator. I was done dealing with the emotional roller coaster of self-promotion and algorithm chasing, and gave myself a deadline: June 1st I would be off social media for good.

Maybe you have felt the same way, and it might not even be from the same source. I recognize not everyone struggles with social media, but I’m aware that everyone has a voice competing with wisdom. Maybe it’s certain friendships that have you walking away feeling more lonely than ever before, music that promotes depression over joy, or books that leave you feeling dissatisfied with the life you are currently living. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and His voice always leads us toward life, even when other voices leave us empty.

Wisdom rarely shouts. More often, she whispers while countless other voices compete for our attention. Guarding our hearts means choosing which voices get access to our minds, our emotions, and our identity. For me, that meant quieting the voice of social media so I could hear God's voice more clearly. For you, it may be something different. But whatever that voice is, Solomon's words remain true: the path of the righteous leads to life, and the one who chooses wisdom walks safely upon it.