SO LOUD I CAN'T HEAR

We worship every Sunday morning at the Saigon Congregation of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam. There are about 1000 Vietnamese in attendance each week and about 25 expats. We expats always sit in the front right of the sanctuary because that is where you receive earphones and can plug in for the English translation.
Since Jan and I always sit up in these first few rows we don't know if the sound system is overly loud just in front, or all the way through the sanctuary. The volume is so high that sometimes it is painful. The variety of Vietnamese preachers we have heard all speak "very forcefully", aided by a this "strong" sound system.
On the other hand most of those who take turns translating speak quite softly because 1. they are sitting in the front and don't want to disturb all of the Vietnamese worshippers; and 2. most of the translators are Vietnamese women who generally speak softly (except if they work in a marketplace!)
So today as I listened to the English of a soft-voiced woman translator, the preacher was so loud it was very hard for me to hear her. In fact he was so loud that I finally turned off the translation although, lest I appear rude, I kept the earphones on. Not understanding Vietnamese (unless it is slow, distinct and within a 100 word vocabulary), I spent the last half of the sermon praying to God instead of listening to the translator.
You can guess where I am going with this. God sometimes "shouts in our pain" (C.S. Lewis). But quite often He speaks in a soft voice that is easily drowned out by the loud noise of a shouting world and our own busy schedule. Unless we spend a regular chunk of quiet time alone with God, we may miss the voice that most needs to be heard.
This morning it was just too difficult so I gave up. I hope you have not given up on making daily time to listen; not just list your prayer requests. For all of us, without commitment, a good habit and personal discipline, we will rarely hear the Voice which should be heard above all.