Sunkissed + Sanctified | Memo 13 Learning to Discern the Noise

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to actually hear yourself think in the middle of a crowded beach or a loud party? You’re surrounded by sound, but none of it is actually meaningful. Most of us are living our entire spiritual lives in that exact kind of noise.

We have a thousand different voices—influencers, friends, our own anxieties—all shouting instructions at us about who we should be, and then we wonder why God feels "silent."

Welcome back. Today we are talking about The Art of Discernment. Because here is the intellectual truth: God is rarely silent; we are usually just deafened by the "clout." If you want to hear the voice of the Creator this summer, you have to learn how to tune your ear to a different frequency.

The Download 

Discernment is a muscle, and most of us have let it go weak. We’ve become "spiritual consumers" who just take in whatever is trending. We let the algorithm tell us what’s moral, we let our peers tell us what’s valuable, and we let our emotions tell us what’s "true." But emotions are terrible leaders. They are shifting, reactive, and often deceptive. Discernment is the ability to look at a situation—a friendship, a party, a potential relationship—and see it for what it actually is, not just what it looks like on the surface.

I’ve learned that the voice of God doesn't usually shout. It’s not going to compete with the roar of your social feed. It’s a "still, small voice" that requires you to actually lower the volume of your life to hear it. If your life is a constant stream of external input—podcasts, music, scrolling, talking—you are effectively blocking the signal. Hearing God isn't some mystical "vibe"; it’s a disciplined choice to clear the airwaves. It’s the intellectual maturity to say, "I am going to stop listening to the world so I can start hearing my Father." You can’t discern your future if you’re obsessed with everyone else’s present.

The Truth Check 

Let’s look at the Truth Check. John 10:27 says: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Notice the order there. They listen, then He knows them, then they follow. You cannot follow a voice you don't recognize. In ancient times, a shepherd could stand in a field with five different flocks mixed together, and when he called out, only his sheep would move. Why? Because they were so familiar with the specific frequency of his voice that they couldn't be fooled by an imitation.

The world is full of imitations. It offers "fake peace," "fake joy," and "fake identity." If you don't spend time in the Word—if you don't spend time in the quiet—you won't have the "ear" to tell the difference between the Good Shepherd and a wolf in sheep's clothing. Discernment isn't just about knowing right from wrong; it’s about knowing God’s voice from the noise.

The Summer Move 

Identify the "Noise Level" in your life this week. I want you to pick thirty minutes every single day—no phone, no music, no distractions—and just be in the presence of God. Don't go in with a list of demands. Just go in and say, "Father, I’m listening." Practice the high-level discipline of silence. You’ll be surprised how much He has to say once you stop the world from talking over Him. Tune your ear to the Eternal.