What's That Noise?

I've got a problem. It's becoming an addiction. When I told my wife, she said "again?"
I have become uncontrollably addicted to cycling...again.
I can't wait to get out and ride...again.
So the other day I was out riding...on my road bike...just a nice Sunday afternoon ride. The weather was awesome. The ride as going great.

I also have another problem. I tend to hear things. Sometimes I'll hear things that no one else hears. Little annoying sounds, sounds that just don't quite belong.

So there I was, riding along, and I kept hearing a light sound, like metal on metal. It was a very faint sound, like a piece of metal was loose, tapping, tapping tapping. I just knew something must be coming loose on the bike. So I stopped, I fiddled around, I shook the bike, I tried to make the sound occur. I just wanted to know what it was...so I could make it stop...so I could fix the problem.

Nothing.

So I got back on and sure enough, it started again. So I stopped...looked, shook the bike...still nothing!

That is so annoying! What is making that noise?

A few miles down the road, after trying unsuccessfully to ignore this irritating little sound, I reached up to unzip my cycling jersey, just trying to created a little more ventilation. Then I realized what the sound was. I wear a cross around my neck. It is metal. It had been hitting against the zipper. That was the irritating little sound I kept hearing!

Then this thought occurred to me. How often do we look around at all the "obvious" sources to look for God's will, God's direction, for our lives. How often do we feel that nudge, or hear that "irritating" sound in the background, and look to our own humanity to try and solve it?

And how often do we miss an opportunity to hear from God, because rather than going to the cross, the source of our salvation, we try to "fix" things in our own power?

Don't ignore the voice of God. He will patiently and softly speak to you, and it is up to you to listen, discern, and answer His calling.