Silence
It’s good to wait in silence for the Lord’s deliverance. It’s good for a man to carry a yoke in his youth. He should sit alone and be silent when God lays it on him. ~ Lamentations 3:26-28
When prompted to add the spiritual discipline of silence to my daily prayers, I fought it. Sustained periods of silence do not come naturally to me. But in sheer obedience to God’s Word, I began to sit in silence. At first a few minutes seemed excruciatingly long. But as the days increased, so did my longing for that quiet place.
It was a solace. A time and place to hear from my heavenly Father.
Noise and busyness are all too often the scaffolding holding up our lives. But true strength is to be found in silence.
When was the last time you sat in silence?
Many Beautiful Things is a film of the incredible life of Lilias Trotter, an English artist who spent her life serving the people of Algeria. It pleases me that more people are now exposed to the story of Lilias, whom I have written about for years. A North African once spoke of her. “She was still and created stillness. She is beautiful to feel near. I love the quiet of her.”
When the Israelites wandered far from God and sought to replace Him with noise and idols, He spoke through the prophet Isaiah: “In return and rest you will be saved, quietness and trust will be your strength, but you refused.” Isaiah 30:15
Please don’t refuse the silence and quietness God is calling you to experience. We must be before we can do. One of my mentors, Gail MacDonald, says, “We must ‘come apart’ in order to actively listen to God’s inner whisper.”
In today’s scripture, we are told twice that silence is good. The reason why is that we are finally able to hear the voice of God when our voice stops. The whisper through His Word, or hymns, or grace gifts that come to mind when all else is quieted.
Hush. And hear . . .
BENEDICTION: My child, sometimes I speak loudest in the silence. But you simply cannot hear if you are always chattering. Or keep your life full of noise. Please try the exercise of silence and learn how it will minister beauty and grace to your very soul. And you might just get a word from Me.
Every Blessing, Lucinda
“Helping You Choose a Life of Serenity and Strength”
©2022 Lucinda Secrest McDowell www.LucindaSecrestMcDowell.com
Lucinda Secrest McDowell is a storyteller and seasoned mentor who engages both heart and mind while “Helping You Choose a Life of Serenity & Strength.” She has authored 16 books including “Soul Strong – 7 Keys to a Vibrant Life” , “Life-Giving Choices – 60 Days to What Matters Most,” “God’s Purpose for You,” and “The Courage to Write.” (Purchasing my books here benefits me as an Amazon associate.) She writes from “Sunnyside” cottage in New England and shares encouraging words weekly at LucindaSecrestMcDowell.com
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Thanks for this word of encouragement today, Lucinda! This is an area I need to work on—being silent before the Lord. Thanks for spurring me on in my walk with God.
My spirit craves silence. In our present season it is difficult to find, for very good reasons. I will copy the quote about Lilias in my notebook: “She was still and created stillness. She is beautiful to feel near. I love the quiet of her.” thank you Cindy.
Oh be still my soul! You wrote this one just got me! Silence is my hardest discipline to follow. Busy and bustling are my mantras. Thank you my friend!
Thank You, I needed to hear these scriptures.
Thank You for your words. They help to objectify my feelings into words.
God bless you for your generous spirit to share your spiritual journey.