Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s bitter cold this morning and whether it snows or not today; it looks and feels like it should. My mornings haven’t been as quiet as I’m used to them being and I’ve missed the silence. It’s in the silence that the loudest messages can be heard and it’s in the silence when we usually hear from God. So, I struggled to find that quiet place and I determined to spend my morning the way I always do…just me and my God. He’s the Living Water and if I go even one day without some quiet time with Him; I thirst. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

We live in an overstimulated world, and the thought of true “silence” is foreign to most people these days. Some people can’t stand leaving the noise of their lives behind even for a little time with the Living God, and some people can’t stand the silence at all. Some people are scared to be alone and they’re scared of the silence, and if there isn’t some noise or other people to drown out their silence; they’ll crawl under the bed to hide. Why are some people so afraid to be alone and so afraid of the silence? Hmm…sounds like it’s soul-searching time to me.

Some people “meet” with God with Christian music playing in the background the entire time, as if the Living God needs a little entertainment too. But if they ever want to hear from Him in the midst of the music, I guess He’ll have to compete with the artists or shout louder than the music plays. I doubt they’d hear His voice even then because their heart doesn’t care to hear it at all.
For some people, pulling up a Bible app on their smartphone is sufficient to check quiet time off-the-list, but all it takes is a single phone call or text message popping up on the smartphone and their lack of self control will kick-in while that “quiet time” with the Living God takes a back seat to life…for whatever it is that they “just can’t miss”. Carving out time to read on-the-go is one thing. Spending time in silence before the Throne of a Mighty God is another. I’m pretty sure that God doesn’t care if you’re a good multi-tasker…my God refuses to “compete” with anyone or anything else in your life at all, and if you don’t go silent FOR Him, He’ll give you a little Lesson on silence that will rattle your world in return.

At this stage in my life, I realize that I’m perceived as being “high maintenance” and “old fashioned”; but I don’t care what others think. When I spend time with a loved one or a friend or a client, they get my full attention and I expect theirs back. I have self control,so there is no fear of losing my attention to a smartphone, and I won’t be adding a source of noise to fill in where the conversation stops. When people speak to me I look deep into their eyes and I don’t merely hear their words; I listen to every single one. Most people feel good when they spend time with me because I make the rest of the world around me “go silent” just for them. So…my “high maintenance”, “old fashioned” self understands the sounds of silence and all of the Sweetness that comes when the rest of the world is tuned-out for “quality” time with the Living God, the Prince of Peace, the Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Great “I am”.

How about you?