My girls seem to own every toy that makes a noise. There are the play phones ringing, different things singing, baby dolls crying, and not to mention the instruments. Now I love my family dearly, but we do not seem to be musically inclined. I knew they had no chance from my side of the family, but my husband has a few piano players on his side, so I thought there might be a chance. This does not appear to be the case, but yet we still own about every instrument you can think of. I hear the piano, the organ, the guitars, the drums, the violin, and the horns, oh those terrible, ear-splitting horns.
Silence...........AAAHHHHHH!!!!!! Wonderful!!!!!
When it occurs, it is usually such a breath of fresh air.
But wait, it is not nap time. It is not bed time. What in the world could be happening?
If silence does occur between the times of 7:00am-1:00pm or 3:30pm-8:30pm there is a chance there is mischief taking place. Now in my girls defense, this is not always the case. There are times they are quietly reading books or coloring in a coloring book or playing quietly in the tent. And when I peer in on those oh so blissful moments, my heart is overfilled with joy. But, and there is always a but, there are the silences that are full of quietly coloring on the furniture or dumping every basket in the house or pulling all the clothes out of every drawer.
Silence............SSSCCCRRRRREAM!!!!! "Don't do that!!!!!!"
Silence during nap time/quiet time is so refreshing. No wondering if they are misbehaving. No mediating arguments. No fixing broken toys. No calming crying babies. No noise!!!!!!
But then I sit down to read my Bible, read an article, read a chapter in a book, and pray, and the noise starts back. The noise may not be audible to any body else, but it sure is audible to me. The noise is my thoughts. I need to pay bills, make the grocery list, do a few loads of laundry, get supper started, call that person back, and the list keeps going and the noise is still there.
Silence...........YIKES!!!!!!!!!! My to-do list is impossible!!!!
How do I get my thoughts focused on God? How can I "listen" to Him if I am instead listing everything that needs to be done? I have to find true silence. I have to focus and pray for the "noise" to stop before my true "Quiet Time" begins. I am not good at that. Sometimes I just sit down like it is a duty to read my Bible not like it is a joy to read my Bible. I have to really get alone with God. Really listen. Really be ready to learn. I have to stop the noise in my head.
We all know the verse Ps 46:10a "Be still, and know that I am God". How can we be still?
I have to ask for it. I have to pray for the thoughts rushing my mind to stop. I have to pray for those quiet moments throughout my day. I might not have but just a moment to spend with God some days, but every moment I do spend reading and praying is a moment of strength. That strength is what helps me get through the rest of the noise of my day.
Today's Verse
Isaiah 30:15b "In returning and rest shall ye be saved: in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength"
If I don't turn everything off, including my own thoughts, I will not get that quietness that is required to give me strength. I cannot "hear" what God might be saying through His Word, if I am listening to other thoughts. Later in the same chapter of Isaiah verse 21 we read "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the way, walk ye in it..." I cannot hear that direction if I am not focused and truly seeking His direction in my life. Silence is a must to seek His will.
Silence...........Golden!!!!!!!! And truly needed for the strength to make it through the day.
If you are looking for a good, quick and encouraging devotion for today, I really did enjoy the Proverbs 31 Devo today. The link is below if you have a moment to read it (in silence hopefully). It really hit home for me today!
http://devotions.proverbs31.org/2012/02/im-beyond-hurt.html
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