It’s the New Year and I have a question for you. Have you taken the time to sit quietly by yourself to reflect on the upcoming year and possibly set some new goals? Or maybe just to reflect on some things you’d like to change about yourself, some places you’d like to visit? Now, I’m not talking about making New Year’s Resolutions. You know, the high goals and aspirations that only set you up for failure. I’m talking about just sitting quietly by yourself and God to think about the new year that has just been ushered in.
There is something to be said about just being silent. No noise. Period. No TV, no radio, no other voices. Silence helps us to reconnect with God and ourselves in a way that nothing else can. Yet often we tend to avoid silence in our lives. I, too, am guilty of turning on the radio, even Christian radio, to fill the quiet moments in my day.
Silence is golden because it is in the quiet moments when we can really listen to our hearts. We can hear our deepest desires and longings. We can hear the Holy Spirit speak to our conscience about different matters that concern us. And yes, we can hear our heart’s true condition—even if it is not as pure and lovely as we thought. Often silence reveals sin in our lives that needs to be confessed. Yes, God speaks to us in the silent places, not in the clamor of noisiness. I believe that is why he says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” Could it be that we are avoiding silence because we are afraid of what He may reveal to us? Or could it be that we feel lazy if we are not always “doing” something? Or maybe we are trying to fill a void and using noise to cover it up.
Each one of us needs to take time to recharge our batteries. We can do this by simply finding a place where we can retreat and be still. It is our own “secret garden,” our place of quiet and solace. Our personal little retreat. We need to frequent this place of solitude often. This is where we can commune with God and allow Him to purge the unnecessary weight and burdens we often carry around. This is where He convicts us, fills us with hope, and gives us His power to start anew. This is the place where He helps us put things into proper perspective and teaches us to focus on matters that have eternal significance. Sometimes, we may be still and find ourselves not thinking of anything at all, and that may be just what we need. To stare idly out a window to watch the squirrels and birds and just savor the beauty of nature all around us that often goes unnoticed.
This year why not give yourself a special gift? A gift of quiet time all to yourself. I know it will satisfy much longer and better than any reality TV shows, shopping sprees, or idle phone conversations. You owe this to yourself and your God who continually beckons you to come away with Him to a quiet place of rest. Make some room in your life for silence and really listen to your heart. You may just be amazed at what you hear!
“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31
There is something to be said about just being silent. No noise. Period. No TV, no radio, no other voices. Silence helps us to reconnect with God and ourselves in a way that nothing else can. Yet often we tend to avoid silence in our lives. I, too, am guilty of turning on the radio, even Christian radio, to fill the quiet moments in my day.
Silence is golden because it is in the quiet moments when we can really listen to our hearts. We can hear our deepest desires and longings. We can hear the Holy Spirit speak to our conscience about different matters that concern us. And yes, we can hear our heart’s true condition—even if it is not as pure and lovely as we thought. Often silence reveals sin in our lives that needs to be confessed. Yes, God speaks to us in the silent places, not in the clamor of noisiness. I believe that is why he says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” Could it be that we are avoiding silence because we are afraid of what He may reveal to us? Or could it be that we feel lazy if we are not always “doing” something? Or maybe we are trying to fill a void and using noise to cover it up.
Each one of us needs to take time to recharge our batteries. We can do this by simply finding a place where we can retreat and be still. It is our own “secret garden,” our place of quiet and solace. Our personal little retreat. We need to frequent this place of solitude often. This is where we can commune with God and allow Him to purge the unnecessary weight and burdens we often carry around. This is where He convicts us, fills us with hope, and gives us His power to start anew. This is the place where He helps us put things into proper perspective and teaches us to focus on matters that have eternal significance. Sometimes, we may be still and find ourselves not thinking of anything at all, and that may be just what we need. To stare idly out a window to watch the squirrels and birds and just savor the beauty of nature all around us that often goes unnoticed.
This year why not give yourself a special gift? A gift of quiet time all to yourself. I know it will satisfy much longer and better than any reality TV shows, shopping sprees, or idle phone conversations. You owe this to yourself and your God who continually beckons you to come away with Him to a quiet place of rest. Make some room in your life for silence and really listen to your heart. You may just be amazed at what you hear!
“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31
"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength." Isaiah 30:15
2 comments:
That's really cool! And I agree wholeheartedly, I have a hard time being found by God whenever there's noise around.
great post!! This is my first time to your blog, I found it through Araken's blog.
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