Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Noise


"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10 NIV)

I remember talking with a young man who grew up in a large city, but had come to a Midwest farm as part of Christian leadership experience.  I asked him what it was like to live “in the middle of nowhere,” and he said one of the hardest things to deal with was the quietness of the country. He was used to the noise of the city, the constant noise.  

A few years ago during a retreat, I asked students to spend 30 minutes of silence in the woods around the retreat center.  No talking, no i-pods, just silence.  I don’t think any of them managed to do it.

What is it about silence that makes us so uncomfortable?  In part, I think it’s because we rarely, if ever experience it.  Our lives are full of noise nearly 24 hours a day.  Think about it.  When do you ever experience complete silence (the absence of artificial noise)?  And if you occasionally do, how do you respond?  Uncomfortable?  Do you seek to immediately fill the void with some type of noise?  Most of us do.  And that leads to the second reason silence can make us uncomfortable.

In the silence, God can be known and heard.  When our heads are not filled with noise, God’s still, small voice can be heard.  When we are not distracted, our focus can be entirely on Him.  As my wife likes to remind me, if I am on the computer or watching TV, I cannot fully listen to her at the same time.  Silence enables God to have our full attention.  

Today, will you accept this challenge?  Find 30 minutes sometime this week where you can spend it in complete silence and undistracted by your computer and cell phone.  Perhaps by a lake or on a mountain overlook, or maybe a walk on a trail or country road. Or maybe just alone in a room.  Be still and listen.  Instead of the usual noise, let God fill the void with His voice and presence.  

© Jim Musser 2012

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