"I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.” - Psalm 62:1 NLT
Being a modern-day citizen, I find myself bombarded by the noise and chaos of everyday life. There are noisy intrusions like construction, emergency vehicles, delivery trucks, or loud music emanating from a big pickup truck. Noise seems to be inescapable. Strangely, there is something addictive about the constant drone of noise all around us.
I am not always aware of it because noisy environments seem so familiar and silence so unfamiliar. The relentless dialog of a television, radio, podcast or a text notification mercifully interrupts the quiet of the moment as I bask in the comfort of the usual.
Silence, on the other hand, is a little more intimidating. There is a sense of being exposed by the bareness of silence and aloneness in the atmosphere of pure silence. A quote often attributed to A.W. Tozer helps us gain a valuable perspective on the merit of silence. “Only after all the noise has spent itself do we begin to hear in the silence of our heart, the still, small, mighty voice of God".
This reminds me of Elijah, a prophet of the Old Testament in 1 Kings 19:11-13, who sought to hear from God. Among the noisy distractions came the sound of a strong wind that tore loose the rocks on the mountain where he was. Then came the rumble of an earthquake followed by the roar and crackle of a blazing fire, but the Lord was not in any of them.
When the noise subsided, there came in the silence “the sound of a low whisper” (v. 13). Those noises, like our modern-day world, were distractions from the gentle voice of God on that mountain. Like the Psalmist David wrote in Psalm 62:1, victory from God often comes over the noise of life in the quiet of waiting. Our victory is often found in the silence of waiting before the Lord to hear His low and gentle whisper that may otherwise be inaudible in the noisy distractions of our world.
HIGHLIGHTED QUOTE: “Our victory over the noise of life is often found in the silence of waiting before the Lord to hear His low and gentle whisper that may otherwise be inaudible in the noisy distractions of our world.”
TIP OF THE DAY: Try practicing silence in some part of everyday. With your Bible in hand, find a place to quietly wait before the Lord with your heart and mind attuned to hear God’s gentle voice.
TALKING TO GOD: Heavenly Father, I come in silence to hear your voice and meditate on your Word. Though my world is filled with loud distractions, I come to you bringing the sacrifice of solitude and wait before you to hear your low whisper in this very moment. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
PAUSE AND REFLECT
- How should we reframe our understanding of silence and waiting?
- What are some practical ways to balance life in the real world while accessing the discipline of silence, reflection and listening for God’s voice?
- Take some time to read and reflect on Psalm 46:10, Habakkuk 2:20, Mark 1:35 and 1 Peter 3:4.
