“You’re so quiet.”
I’ve heard that phrase as long as I can remember. In school from teachers. At get-togethers with friends. Even from my own family at times. It’s not spoken as a compliment. At best, it’s a concern.
And I’ll confess, at times it has made me wonder, “Should I force myself to be louder?” But I’m not quiet because I’m holding back. I’m quiet because that’s the way God made me.
The other day on a run, I was listening to a song with the lyrics, “I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar louder, louder than a lion.” And I had this thought: I don’t have to be loud to roar because I have a Lion living inside of me {Rev. 5:5}. When I speak on His behalf, even if it’s softly, He roars … and the enemy trembles.
We don’t have to shout to make ourselves heard.
We don’t have to raise our voices to get attention.
We don’t have to dominate conversations to add value.
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. {1 Kings 19:11-12}
If God has given you a big, loud voice, then appreciate it and use it with care. And if He has given you a quiet, small one, know it can be just as powerful. It’s not about how we’re speaking but instead Who is speaking through us.
So let’s bravely be who God made us to be because that’s when He roars the loudest.
Even if we’re quiet.
Note: This article originally appeared here on HolleyGerth.com.
