Taming Takes Time – Tame Your Voice Monster – Part Two
Voice monsters. You know those voices in your head that fill you with the dreaded shoulds. Everyone has them. Voice monsters are loud and taming takes time.
Last time, I shared some of mine in Taming Your Voice Monster, Part One:
I can do it
What’s wrong with me?
My to-do list needs to get done today.
I don’t need to ask for help.
Voice monsters. You know those voices in your head that fill you with the dreaded shoulds. How to tame them. Click To Tweet
Did you think of some of your own? Do you find that taming takes time? Here are a few more of my voice monsters:
Just One More Thing
Even when feeling rested, I am the type that likes to finish what I start – preferably the same day; which is why I have never taken up quilting. I once trucked 16 wheelbarrow loads of soil to create a garden plot and then planted all my flowers too (yes, all in one day). I struggle with doing tasks in small bites. As you might imagine, writing a book is a huge thing for me to tackle because my brain says, just a little more; one more thing. Finish the task. This keeps me from starting a project unless I know I can finish it.
This is a huge obstacle for me. I struggle with letting something sit, including myself. And even when I physically stop, my brain still runs on overtime. I keep thinking of more tasks, ways to do something better, and I think, what about…?
I struggle with letting something sit, including myself. And even when I physically stop, my brain still runs on overtime. #ButWhatAbout #TurnOffMyBrain Click To Tweet
But, what about….
My blog, laundry, grocery shopping, overgrown weeds in the garden…my to-do list can go on and on. The truth is I need the energy to tackle any of those things. So, I must consider first things first. One of them is to realize I am not alone.
I asked a question of others to see if they struggle in the same way. I discovered it’s universal for the most part. It is difficult to rest when we see all that needs to be done. They shared a few of their voice monsters with me:
I don’t have time to stop. What I am doing is too important.
I am being lazy.
I don’t deserve to rest—I have too much to do.
I hear the list of everything I need to be doing and I’m wasting time.
What if?
‘What if’ is a big voice monster for my friend, Terry. She wrote: What if my fears materialize? What if I can’t accomplish what I’ve started? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I just made matters worse? I can tie myself in knots before I even begin.
What if my fears materialize? What if I can’t accomplish what I’ve started? What if...Tame your voice monster. Click To Tweet
Boy, can I relate to that one!!
So, how do we tame our voice monsters?
I’m learning that the voices have a source—the way I was brought up, the influences of others, to fill a need, they originate somewhere. Growing up in a family of seven, we needed to do our share. I still have trouble walking away from an event clean-up for fear I haven’t done my part.
Your #VoiceMonsters have a source. Learning to #TametheVoiceMonster so you can rest. Click To Tweet
Maybe you struggle with similar things. What voice monsters can you relate to? How does God’s voice speak the truth over them? And, speaking of hearing God speak…
The Trouble with Volume
One thing I struggle with is the volume of these monster voices. Because they are so entrenched, I often hear them louder than I hear the voice of my Heavenly Father. His voice is one of a Shepherd wooing me along. But the voice monsters ramp up and drown out His gentle leading.
The older I get, the more I want to tune into my Shepherd. I see the lie of the voice monsters—most of the time anyway. I am catching them earlier than I used to. So that’s a good thing—growth even.
Here are some of things I hear my Shepherd say:
Come apart for awhile so you can rest. Mark 6:36
Be still and know I am God. Psalm 46:10
I am your strength. Isaiah 41:10
Don’t worry about tomorrow; today has enough trouble of its own. Matt 6:34
I will give you daily bread. Luke 11:3
I will provide all your needs. Philippians 4:13
So part of taming my voice monsters is to Go Rogue...
Put the list down. Go sit on the porch. Call a friend. Read a book. Put the voice monsters in their place. And, I find when I put my to-do list aside, the most important things rise to the surface. I believe God leads even in my daily list.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you relate? What have you discovered about taming the voices that drown out your common sense? Be sure to leave a comment below and join the conversation.
So part of dealing with my voice monsters is to Go Rogue... #SilenceTheVoices #HowToTameYourVoiceMonster Click To Tweet
Jeanne
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Monsters become part of our world from our childhood. From scary movies to scary words, we are taught to fear monsters of any and every kind, including voice monsters. My voice monsters are rooted in shame especially when I decide not attend a church function because I am tired. The monsters declare, “You’re not being supportive!” I have come to realize God is not taking stock of how many church functions I attend but how am I taking care of myself so I can serve Him. Even as we grow into adults and childhood monsters are unmasked, so we can unmask our adult monsters through God’s word.
You are so right, Sheree. And, how subtle the voices can be sometimes, making us think they are our own, the truth. As the body we should be helping one another to see and hear these untruths, unmasking them for what they are. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. And the Spirit of God doesn’t shame us, but rather compels us to right thinking with the Truth.
I needed this. Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Catie. I think we all need to recognize our voice monsters so we can silence their tyranny 🙂 Be sure to catch part one also. I would love to hear your thoughts – and can pray for you too. I know I need prayer against them.
This is hard for me, too. It’s all the more frustrating when I have too many things to do that I can’t finish them all in one day! God has also worked on me in the area of rest!
We sound like kindred spirits, Heather. And He is so gracious to correct my driven thinking. He is the one who tames my voice monster and shows me His ways while offering His yoke which is light.
Oh Jeanne, I completely relate to this! My voice monster’s go-to work is “should.” I hate that word!
I think of Elijah, and how God brought a storm to demonstrate the way He speaks to us. God wasn’t in the busy-ness of the storm. He was in the “gentle whisper.” We so easily distract ourselves with the good, visible things and miss the best, invisible things. Thank you for pointing that out to me/us.
Hi Carole, Sorry for my delay in responding to your comment. I was pausing the last couple of days 🙂 Should is one of those taskmaster words, isn’t it!? I love your thoughts about Elijah too…so true. When we are going bonkers, God just wants us to let Him send what we need. I appreciate your insights. Thanks for stopping by.