Need a Personal Tune‑Up?

Warren E. Berkley

Some may call it mechanical aptitude, others intuition—but many men seem to have a built‑in sense for what’s happening under the hood of a car. They can smell trouble in the cooling system, hear when a plug is misfiring, or feel when the wheels are out of alignment. Back before cars were ruled by computer boards, I learned a bit of this myself. Over time, you pick up small hunches, little insights, quiet signals that something isn’t quite right.

Men who know this rhythm also know a simple habit: every now and then, turn off the AC and the stereo and just listen. You might hear something that needs attention.

I remember one cool autumn day when my wife called me from her cell phone. She had turned off the AC and the radio and was a little alarmed—she heard a strange whining sound she’d never noticed before. After a moment of listening, I had to smile. She was hearing the engine.

There’s a lesson tucked inside moments like that.

Lower the volume and listen.

In our personal lives, the noise can get loud—chaotic schedules, competing loyalties, constant demands, pressures that echo in the mind long after the day is done. If we never turn the volume down, we may never notice what’s happening beneath the surface.

Quiet the noise. Listen to what you’re thinking, planning, and feeling. Pay attention to your walk with God—your obedience, your growth, your direction. Face the realities of your life, your choices, and your destiny.

When you turn down the noise and truly listen, you may discover something in your soul that needs a tune‑up.

David understood this practice. In Psalm 119:59 he wrote, “I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies.”

Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is simply slow down, quiet the world, and listen for what God is trying to show you.