In a world full of noise, silence has become uncomfortable. Why is it so difficult to escape the noise? Being still makes us anxious. If there is a moment of quiet, we feel that we must fill it with something, anything to occupy the empty space.
My soul, wait in silence for God alone, For my hope is from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, My refuge; I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:5-6
Noise
We pick up our phones to text a friend or check our social media. Perhaps we scroll through the daily news and play online games. We turn on the TV while we are working to create background noise. In our cars, we stream our favorite playlist or, in many cases, use our cars as mobile phonebooths.
We make plans that fill our calendars—lunch dates with friends and dinner plans with family. We go to sporting events and concerts. We spend time shopping for things we don’t need just to keep ourselves occupied.
We spend hours scouring the web to find a grand plan to make money so we can fill our wallets. Hoping it will also fill our hearts.
We dream of vacations to escape the busyness of life and then find all the attractions to go to while we are supposed to be relaxing. We call it fun, but could it be that it’s just more noise?
We fret over our shortcomings, inabilities, and insecurity. We spend countless hours trying to meet the world’s expectations of beauty, strength, and popularity. While in reality, those things are just added distractions.
I wonder what we would experience if we took the time to be present in silence. Would we notice more of the beauty around us? Is it possible we might allow ourselves to actually feel our emotions instead of burying them under all the noise?
Noise is present even when we don’t think it is.
How often have you had a conversation with someone and realized later that you had been distracted throughout your entire encounter with them? Distracted by your mobile device, the activities of others around you, or even by your own thoughts. How many times have you wished you could have a re-do so you could be completely present and engaged?
Silence
We often engage God the same way we engage so many others – distracted. Oh, friend, I believe God longs for our undivided attention. He wants us to sit with Him with nothing distracting us from the conversation.
Are you willing to do that? Will you give yourself permission to escape the noise? Permission to shut off all your technology, let social media go for an hour or so, and sit in a quiet room with no interruptions? Permission to ignore the phone calls, text messages, and emails? Permission to give God your undivided attention, free from all the noise?
Permitting yourself to do these things is healthy – physically, mentally, and spiritually. Especially if we spend our quiet time in the presence of the Lord.
Escape the Noise
Today, I encourage you to take 30 minutes to escape the noise and have undistracted time with God. Turn off your phone, computer, TV, and radio. Go into a room where no one else is present. Ask the Lord to clear your mind of all the random thoughts bouncing around in your head.
Then, sit quietly in His midst, just you and Him, and have a sweet, undistracted conversation with your Father.
Find more encouragement in my 7-day devotional, Praise Him Through The Tough Stuff
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