Hearing the Shepherd’s Voice: Quieting the Inner Critic
How to recognise God's voice, silence shame, and walk more closely with Him.
When I first became a Christian, I quickly discovered the importance of the Shepherd. It was spoken about often in church and found its way into many of the songs we sang. I learnt that shepherds really loved their sheep and in biblical times, they had a very special, intimate relationship with their sheep. They knew each of their sheep by name, tended to them carefully, and protected them.
It’s such a beautiful image, and it’s easy to picture a caring shepherd looking after a small flock.
You only have to look at Psalm 23 or the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:1–7 to see how special it is to have the Lord as your Shepherd, calling out your name. (Fun fact: I even went on to help co-found a ministry called Lost Sheep, inspired by this simple but powerful story. Check it out here lostsheep.com.au)
Navigating Inner Dialogue: Recognising the Shepherd and the Butcher
But as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realise that, alongside the Shepherd, there’s another very different voice at work in my life — another figure who spends its day working with sheep, but in a far less caring way.
While the Shepherd protects, loves, and gives life, the other voice — the butcher — harms, controls, and takes life. (Apologies to all kind and caring butchers out there.)
There’s no relationship, no concern, no protection from this butcher.
I’m starting to realise that I’ve given the butcher way too much freedom in my life, and rather than turn the volume down on him, I seem to have spent a lot of time listening to him — thinking he was the Shepherd. I’ve confused the two voices at times and allowed myself to hear that I’m not good enough, that I should have done better, that I’m not as important as someone else.
"Your value is not determined by the voices that criticize you, but by the love that created you." — Unknown
Silencing the Inner Critic: Tuning Back into God's Voice
It’s a subtle voice, but it’s had a profound impact over time — quietly damaging my sense of worth and identity.
Without realising it, I’d bought into a narrative that runs completely against what the gentle loving Shepherd has to say.
It takes some discipline to pause, pay attention to what you're thinking or feeling, and discern which voice is speaking — to recognise when it’s not the Shepherd, but the voice of the inner critic instead.
I think it can be easy to confuse the two voices, but the closer we draw to the Shepherd, the more likely we are to recognise His voice — and the more easily we can silence the butcher’s voice that drains life rather than gives it.
That’s why we spend time in the Scriptures, gather with others to grow together, and keep learning to pray and listen.
It trains our hearts to hear the voice of love over the voice of condemnation.
"In the silence between your thoughts, you'll hear the whispers of God assuring you of your worth." — Anonymous
The Transformative Power of the Shepherd's Voice
The beautiful thing about listening to the Shepherd’s voice is that you’ll never find judgment, condemnation, or shame there. Correction, yes. Growth, yes. But always from a deep, intimate relationship that wants what is best for His sheep.
Whenever you start to feel shame, guilt, or internal, crushing criticism, you can be sure it’s not the Shepherd’s voice you’re hearing — it’s the butcher again.
So, here’s what I’m still learning to do — and maybe it’ll help you too:
Take a breath. Stop. Tune back into the Shepherd’s voice.
It might take a while to change the habit of years, but it’ll be worth it.
Maybe start today by slowly reading through Psalm 23:
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want…”
"You are loved not because you are good, but because God is good." — Richard Rohr
Questions to Reflect on.
In what areas of your life do you notice the inner critic's voice has been louder than the Shepherd’s?
In what ways can you remind yourself that you are loved, guided, and known by name?
From Reflection to Action: (These are just suggestions – maybe choose 1 or 2 to try)
Slow down with Luke 15:1–7: Take a few minutes to slowly read through the story of the lost sheep. Sit with the image of the Shepherd. Ask God to reveal Himself more personally as your Shepherd in the days ahead.
Spend time becoming more familiar with His voice: Each day this week, carve out a few minutes to be still before God. The more time we spend with the Shepherd, the easier it becomes to recognise His voice — and to spot the voices that don't come from Him.
Meet Cecil the Lost Sheep: If you want something a bit lighter, check out Cecil the Lost Sheep. This simple story captures a beautiful glimpse of the Shepherd’s heart.
Journal the Two Voices: Draw two columns in a journal — one for the kinds of things the inner critic says, and one for the truths the Shepherd says in His Word. Seeing the difference written down can help you notice which voice you're following more clearly.
Memorise a line from Psalm 23: Choose just one line — even something as simple as "The Lord is my Shepherd" — and carry it with you this week. Let it become the first thing you turn to when the inner critic tries to speak.
Tune into Encouraging Stories: Build your resilience with these stories from the Resilient Souls podcast.
Bible Verses About Hearing the Shepherd’s Voice:
John 10:27 (NLT): "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
Psalm 23:1 (NIV): "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing."
Isaiah 40:11 (NLT):"He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young."
Ezekiel 34:11–12 (CSB): "For this is what the Lord God says: See, I myself will search for my flock and look for them. As a shepherd looks for his sheep on the day he is among his scattered flock, so I will look for my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered."
Psalm 100:3 (NET): "Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture."
Bible Verses When You Need Reminding of the Shepherd’s Love and Strength:
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV): "The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."
Psalm 28:7 (NIV): "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him."
Psalm 139:14 (NIV): "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV): "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Romans 8:37-39 (NLT): "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love."
Thanks so much for this reminder. I will pass it on to my daughters who constantly hear the butcher's voice. God Bless you. Kathy Endersbee