Learn to Quiet the Noise

This week, I watched a video that really stuck with me. In it, a woman shared an analogy her priest had given at her church, and it really made me think.

He said: Imagine you get into your car and blast the radio. It's loud, it’s fun, it’s just what you want in that moment. But then the next day, you get back into your car and the music comes on again—and this time it feels way too loud. Yesterday, it didn’t seem like much. But today? You notice just how much noise there really was.

That’s exactly how sin works.

Sometimes we live in noise—constant, unrelenting spiritual noise—and we don’t even realize it. We surround ourselves with things that pull our hearts away from God. Things like habits, people, environments, and choices. But we’ve gotten so used to them that they feel normal. Comfortable, even.

It’s only when we take a step back—when we pause, when we detox, when we remove ourselves from the environment—that we finally hear clearly again. That’s when we realize how loud it all was. How chaotic. How exhausting.

Another example she gave was about going out drinking every night. In the moment, it’s just part of your routine. Maybe it even feels like fun or freedom. But after a few months of stepping away from that scene, if you go back even once, something feels… off. What used to be your “normal” suddenly doesn’t fit anymore.

That’s the power of clarity. That’s what happens when you put distance between yourself and sin. But here’s the thing: clarity doesn’t always come when you’re in the middle of it. It often comes later. Life has a way of slowly piling up distractions and noise until it’s overwhelming, and you don’t even realize it. That’s why Scripture encourages us to be still, renew our minds, and live by the Spirit instead of our impulses.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” – Romans 12:2

When we renew our minds through the Word, prayer, worship, and community with other believers, we start to hear the voice of God more clearly—and we also begin to recognize just how much noise we’ve been living with.

Maybe for you, it’s certain relationships. Or what you’ve been watching. Or the way you speak to yourself. Or how you spend your weekends. Whatever it is, take a step back. Sit with Jesus in the quiet. Ask Him to reveal what you've grown numb to. Because sometimes, you don’t know how far you’ve drifted until you finally stop swimming in that direction.

Let’s be people who choose silence over noise, presence over performance, and holiness over habits that don’t serve us. Let’s not wait until the volume of sin becomes unbearable before we finally turn it down. Let’s step back now—so we can move forward with Jesus, clearly, freely, and fully engaged.