Where's My Megaphone!

Do you ever have one of those journeys you don't really want to travel? One of those roads you don't really want to take? You feel forced - coerced - made to?

Sometimes our journeys do take us down a road we don't really want to go down - even though it might be good for us - even though we might really learn from it - even though it might be the best route for us. Resistance fills our minds and we dig our heels into the hard soil rather than using our voice to express why we may not want to travel that path. Do we even know? Instead we may pick up our big megaphone and shout out whatever comes to mind.

On the other hand, many of us travel down senseless roads just because we can't say no, just because we don't want to hurt feelings, and just because we can't find our voice. Where's the big megaphone when we need it! The real question is, "Would we be able to use it if we had it?"

Life is filled with moments like that. Life is filled with paths like that. Life is filled with journeys like that. We've all been there. We've all done it.

Is it possible to take a step back, explore the situation, and come up with a solution as to why we are taking that particular path? Is God raising his righteous right hand, pointing his mighty finger, and declaring, "That way?" Can we feel it in our spirit and in every fiber of our being? Can we declare and determine that this path is the right way - even though we may not want to travel that path? Are we seeing the signs? Praying? Understanding? Knowing? Seeking confirmation from the Lord? I think we have gone far beyond the search for the journey down the right path.

I have a tendency to lose my voice in the midst of my journeys. I think I really lost it a long time ago. Growing up, many years ago, one was taught that there is a particular time for children to speak and for children to be silent. Out of respect for our parents, we learned not to "talk back" - "question" or "disagree". Many of us were never taught how to use our voices appropriately at such a young age. It is strange how those behaviors are carried over into our adult world. We are really children living in an adult body.

Let us not Lose Hope or Give up that One day we will speak!

There is hope for finding our voices. I am learning how to do more of that today. It is the "how" that really gets me. A few things I needed to understand when finding my voice:

• I understand that I am created in the image of God.


• I understand that God loves me.


• I understand that I matter.


• I understand that God created me to have a voice.


• I understand that God gave me that voice. I use my voice for other things - speaking, singing, and teaching - all of which I have no problem doing.


• I understand that what I have to say matters to God.


• I understand that it is important for me to use my voice.


• I understand that God wants me to use my voice and express those most important emotions.


• I understand . . . . . . I understand . . . . I understand. . . but how?
  

That is the question so many of us struggle with . . . how?

That - my friend - is something I am still learning.

Where's my megaphone!