Do you ever feel stuck between a myriad of opinions? So many that your own voice is smothered? Or maybe you finally get more brave and you venture out with your voice, but it is rejected, criticized, or ignored. And you wonder – Doesn’t my voice count at all?
Coming from a religious background where ministers were put on a pedestal as the voice of God Himself, it felt like our thoughts didn’t count. Their interpretations of Scripture became law. So if I felt a verse meant differently than what we were taught, I scolded myself and tried to smother it. I didn’t want God to rain down fire and brimstone on me. I had no voice at all. I felt like a puppet, only moving where or when someone wanted it to.
God has released me from that mindset, but it has been a long process, and I’m still a work-in-progress. God is showing me more and more how much love He has for us, not condemnation, and how His Spirit can shed light in each of our hearts. How He has given each of us a unique voice.
There are times legalism still digs its talons into my scars and scrapes them open again, but Jesus shows again and again that in Him is freedom, not chokeholds on who we are. He wants us to be who He created us to be, not who others want us to be.
My insecurities still sometimes rear up their ugly heads and distort my thinking. And I falter. Surely that person is more knowledgable than I am, so maybe their opinion is right, and mine is wrong.
To be honest, I am often afraid when I post, reply to comments here, or comment on other blogs. Doubts and fears rattle my heart. What if I write the wrong thing? Once it’s out there, I can’t take it back. What if I don’t glorify God in these words? What if what I say or don’t say hurts instead of helps? I never, ever want to add to the weight of a hurting soul.
Then God whispers, “Follow your heart, My child.”
But God, what if I don’t trust my heart? What if my heart is in the wrong place?
Step by step, God is leading me to trust Him and His provision more. He confirms to me that if He is my treasure, my heart will be there, too, attune to the rhythm of His own. He wants me to place my heart into His, to rest in His all-sufficient grace, and to allow His love and grace to flow through me. Freely and without restriction.
“For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:21
“May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to You,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14
However, on this earth, we remain imperfect and broken, don’t we? We may sometimes slip or go astray from following God’s heart. But He will never condemn us. He understands how sorry we feel and how much we desire to follow His heart. No matter how badly we mess up, He wholeheartedly forgives us.
He values each of us. He loves us just as we are, unconditionally. He has given each of us a unique voice, and each of our voices is special to Him. He wants us to follow our hearts, our intuitions, what we truly believe is right.
Through Your Eyes
by Britt Nicole
Freed to Fly 
Breaking away from those legalistic ties, so ingrained from childhood, isn’t easy, Trudy. I know that it took me a loooong time to loosen the bonds with God’s help. The Lord wants nothing more than for us to be our authentic selves, the persons He created us to be, and He will, through His great love, help us get there.
Blessings, my friend!
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I’m sorry you had to go through that, Martha. No, it isn’t easy when it’s so ingrained in us. Thanks be unto God who brought us out and will continue to free us through His great love! May we learn ever more deeply to be our authentic selves, the persons He created us to be! I hope and pray your husband is doing better and the infection has cleared!
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Thank you, Trudy, for asking about Danny. He is home and on the mend, praise the Lord!
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That’s great news, Martha. Thank you for getting back to me. Yes, praise the Lord! ❤️
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I agree that it can be hard to make our voices heard sometimes but I am also learning that God has given each of us a unique voice to use for him and each voice matters. I’m glad you’re finding your voice, Trudy. I always love reading your insights and I am encouraged by your posts and comments. Love and hugs to you!
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Thank you, Lesley. Love and hugs to you, too! If I remember correctly, your word for the year is “voice,” isn’t it? I love your insightful encouragement, too. I can often identify with the feelings you express. May we daily cling to our Voice-giver and use our voices for His glory!
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Dear Trudy,
I am so thankful that you have been faithful to keep trusting God with your words and voice, because you have been such a blessing to me! I had a lot of legalism growing up too, but even when Grace was offered, I felt that I still needed to “measure up” or be the “fixer.” You are so right, that it is a work-in-progress to let God show us how much freedom He has for us! I still hesitate before I post every blog, praying as I release it into God’s hands. Those “what ifs” are hard to silence aren’t they? I love the song you shared–my daughter shared it with me a few weeks ago, and it’s been such an encouragement. May you be blessed this week with the same encouragement that you offer to all of us here! xoxo
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Thank you for your kindness, Bettie. Xoxo to you, too! I’m so glad you receive encouragement here. I always do at your site as well. I’m so sorry you have also struggled with those deep roots of legalism. Yes, those what-ifs surely are hard to silence. May God lead us ever deeper into the freedom in Christ Jesus!
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Hi Trudy-Thanks for this! I am so thankful he promises to lead us and is so gentle and faithful to do it. It comforts me to think that he does not make mistakes. I still struggle to trust him completely at times. So much I am still and learning and trying to understand. So grateful for His patience too! Anyway sending a hug tonight!
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I’m so grateful for His patience, too, Susie. It’s so hard to completely trust Him, isn’t it? Yes, it is truly amazing how gentle and faithful He is! I was just reading another day in Bonnie Gray’s new book. It was about being His beloved. In the reflections, I wrote how sometimes in my heart I struggle to really own it in my heart. It’s hard, isn’t it? Sending hugs back to you! May we learn to believe deep in our hearts that we are His precious beloved and to trust Him with our hearts, souls, and lives!
P.S. How is Winston? I hope you are getting more sleep!
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I am so glad you are hearing His love to you. It can be so hard through all the noise of the world and the world within us too. You have always spoken life to me with your words Trudy. I appreciate you!
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Thank you for your kind words, Lynn. I appreciate you, too! That noise of the world within and without can be so deafening that it’s hard to hear His voice of love. I’m so grateful for His power to silence all that turbulence in our hearts. It reminds me of how He said to the stormy sea, “Peace, be still.” And immediately the sea was calm. May we daily be awed by the power of His love for us!
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It’s so easy to let what others say dictate us especially if the voice is coming from the people we trust or look up to.
But we need to be careful in who to listen to. We need to be sensitive to God’s voice and then trust it whenever we hear it.
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So true, Lux. Yes, I think it’s harder if it’s from those we trust or look up to. Sometimes we have to seek a quiet place, and as you say, be sensitive to God’s voice instead. May we daily open our hearts to the Truth of God’s voice!
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Your voice matters, you make a difference, you spread wisdom along the path. Farewell to those inner-naysayers. Speak His grace and truth loud and clear, friend!
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Thank you, Linda, for always being such a caring, faithful cheerleader. I appreciate your love and empathy towards those who struggle. God truly has gifted you in counseling. Yes! Begone with you, you inner-naysayers! May we cling to our God whose grace is always sufficient and whose love always reaches deeper than any place we may be at!
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Hi Trudy! Your ideas are what make you special! I know we all need direction when we’re young, but we have to move on to form our own opinions, right? I understand the nerves in posting though, I don’t think there is one blogger who doesn’t sweat that, thinking that maybe they aren’t being light-bearers.
But you are! You are always encouraging me through your experiences and your honesty. Don’t ever stop!
Blessings,
Ceil
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Thank you for your caring encouragement, Ceil, both here and in your own posts. Sometimes I feel so inadequate, but I’m learning step by step that our adequacy is in Christ, and He blesses us beyond what we ask or think. May we both be light-bearers of His love and grace!
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Trudy, you are giving voice to things people need and want to hear. In sharing your heart you are connecting with ours. And you do it all so beautifully. Yet I know how insidious the pressure can be when we long to give God the glory with our words. How much the enemy hisses his venom, making us doubt just who we are and if we have the skill or ability to write. But God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Weak, wobbly, work-in-progress, broken clay pots that we are, in His hands beauty and grace pour forth to refresh others.
I was arrested by this line n the song: “I saw me in Your eyes”, and all it implies about how lovingly God sees us. Plus He doesn’t expect or “want perfection”, He just wants our oh so imperfect hearts. Hard to believe sometimes, as our fingers hover nervously over the “publish” key, but essential if we’re going to give the world our deep soul offering. Thank you for your transparency and for being such a faithful, caring woman of God. We love you just the way you are, and so does God! Blessings and hugs. xo 😊💜
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Thank you for your loving encouragement, Joy. That enemy is so subtle sometimes, isn’t he? This really touches my heart – “Weak, wobbly, work-in-progress, broken clay pots that we are, in His hands beauty and grace pour forth to refresh others.” Yes! In His grace, we can pass on grace. Thank you for loving me just the way I am! Blessings and hugs to you, too! May we daily draw near to God’s heart and see ourselves through His eyes!
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Trudy,
Your comments on others’ blogs are ALWAYS helpful and kind so if I were you, I would permanently erase that worry from your mind! 🙂 I can so relate with the myriad of voices surrounding you and not knowing which one is really the truth. It gets rather loud inside my own head! 🙂 I’m so grateful for your willingness to always encourage us! xoxo
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Oh my, Valerie, how I would love to permanently erase worry from my mind! Yes, all those voices can get so loud in our heads. Thank you for your kind encouragement, and xoxo to you, too! May we join our hands together and claim the victory in Christ Jesus against those voices!
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I love how you are walking out your faith, Trudy. One step at a time, one comment at a time, one story at a time. That’s all God asks of us. Each person’s experience matters! I’m glad God values each of us the same. Blessings to you, friend.
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I, too, am glad God values each of us the same, Lisa. There is such hope in that, isn’t there? I find hope as well in your comment that all God asks of us is one step at a time, one comment at a time, and one story at a time. Blessings to you, too! May we daily place our hands in God’s and let Him lead us step by step in the way He chooses!
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There is so much noise, Trudy. I’m practicing tuning my heart to His and being sure that I know that I know that what is leading me is Him and His word. That’s a beautiful kind of obedience. Great post, friend.
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Thank you, Tiffany. That noise can be so deafening, can’t it? I’m right with you on practicing tuning my heart to His. May we follow Him and His Word and attune our hearts with His!
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This is beautiful and much needed encouragement for me, Trudy. It really hits home. My voice was squashed in childhood. I’m a work in progress in this area as well. And I get crazy (literally) after I post on my blog. My insecurities can be overwhelming. I can so relate to you, my friend. Much love and many blessings to you!
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I’m so sorry your voice was squashed in childhood, Candace. It can be so hard to find it then. I’m glad you were encouraged here. Please know you are very special and your words touch me and many others. Much love and many blessings to you, too! May God continue to help us find and use the voice He has given us!
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Trudy, this might be my favorite post of yours yet! You are one of the most faithful, empathetic encouragers I’ve encountered online, and your encouragement means even more knowing that it requires significant effort on your part. Your words are a gift to those who receive them, my friend! I do know what you mean, though, because writing comments is sometimes a struggle for me too. I so wish I could just look people in the eye and tell them, in person, how much their words touched me. Love and hugs to you!
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Thank you for your loving encouragement, Lois. I’m so glad you’re encouraged here. Your words are a gift to me and others, too! I understand what you mean about wanting to look some people in the eye and tell them how much their words touched you. Love and hugs to you, too! May God help us to be brave to write authentically from our hearts, whether it’s in posts or comments!
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Trudy, thank you for your sweet words. It really does take a long time to erase those recordings in our minds from our youth, doesn’t it? I’m so thankful God gave you the voice He did. You’re a beautiful encourager. Your transparency ministers to my heart regularly. I know we’ll never be perfect in every word we speak or write, but the good thing is? God gives grace when we don’t get it quite right. And oftentimes, people do too. Beautiful post!
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Thank you for your loving encouragement and understanding, Jeanne. I’m so glad you are ministered to here. I love what your reminder of what the good thing is – that God gives grace when we don’t get it right. His mercies are new every morning, aren’t they? May we open our hearts to His endless love and freely-given grace each day!
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