Grace-ward!
I’ve long held an affinity for time spent in silence, solitude and reflection. Despite my love for it, I’ve waged a life long battle to set aside time for this worthy activity. Can you relate? I read a quote recently that explains my battle well.
“The devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements: noise, hurry, crowds. Satan is quite aware of the power of silence.” – Jim Elliott (martyred missionary)
C.S. Lewis wrote “We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private.”
How true.
Distraction deafens us to God’s voice. Small wonder the enemy of our soul delights in pushing us towards activity overdose with hopes that we will amuse ourselves to death.
Although it’s a fight, I never walk away from time spent in quiet reflection without being refreshed and strengthened for the trials of life. Perhaps that’s why the devil fights you… and I so fiercely to prevent us from practicing the valuable discipline of the spirit called silence.
So, in a world starving for silence lets find or should I say make, time to regularly feast our soul on the virtues of quietude. We and those around us will reap the benefits!
The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him……, (1 Kings 19:11-13)
