How many voices?

I discovered this a while ago and felt I should maybe talk a little about it today.
The reason why it is a big deal for me is that I am by nature a people pleaser. I want to please people so have in the past been swayed backwards and forwards to try and keep the masses happy with me.
And in case you didn't know...it doesn't work!

Because of this character flaw I have had to learn a lesson that I think most of us could gain from?
You need to work out how many voices you want to listen to?

Every week I am flooded with voices telling us the right and wrong way to live, to function as a husband, to follow Jesus, to lead a Church, to stay fit...hundreds of them.
Facebook, newsfeeds, blogs, books, random people approaching me...it can be so dang confusing if you let it become that way.

When I have people ask for counsel over big decisions, a reoccurring theme is that they are confused. Not always over how hard the choice they maybe facing is, but because there are normally too many voices, too many opinions swaying them backwards and forwards.

For me I break it down like this :

1/ What is Jesus saying?
... he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:4 niv

The picture here means a lot to me personally. I am following Jesus who is always leading the way to where He wants me to be. And all along that following journey He is actually speaking. It is a voice I am designed to hear.
I ask myself regularly "what is Jesus saying about _____". That influences me greatly!

2/ What are my advisors saying?
Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success. Proverbs 15:22 nlt

We aren't designed to live life successfully on our own. We need the right voices around us giving us the right advice at the right time. There are a few people who fit this role for me and I am very picky about who they are.
I only have advisers who have my best interest at heart.
If someone trying to give me advice based on their agenda I switch off real real fast.
I am also challenged when I read this proverb to ask the next logical question for me, how advisers are the right number of advisers?
I believe it isn't specific on purpose. It is probably different for most of us. You just need to go on a journey of discovering who those people should be. Asking Jesus to help is a good starting point!
My best advice though is to keep the list a short as practically possible. It is advisers, meaning plural and never a crowd.

So if you are reading this and you are really struggling with the noise around your life, maybe some of this will help you today?
Ask how many voices you should have in your life?

Something to think about...