Silence is Golden

This might surprise some of you, but I have a strong desire to run away and join a monastary. Sometimes that desire is because I am overwhelmed with life, and just want to run away to something simpler…but most of the time it’s because I crave being in a place where I can just focus on Jesus, and to hear His voice.

Life is busy and noisy, constant demands take up time and energy.

Time seems to run out by the end of the day and the body/soul/mind is just beat up.

It becomes hard to focus on the voice of Jesus.

And the craving gets stronger.

Getting up earlier is an easy solution for many, and I try that. A good routine starts, and then life kicks in, and I have to be somewhere for 7 in the morning…and Jesus gets put on the back burner.

Having self-discipline is some areas is a constant/daily fight. I know the enemy doesn’t want me getting up earlier in the day to spend time with Jesus. It’s the worst thing I can do, because it makes me think, write, and worship. He doesn’t like that. So he busies my life with noise. People, screens, work, relationships, netflix, books, volunteering…it all takes the silence away. Morning to night. Every day.

And I am distracted. Wandering further away from time spent with Jesus. I get overwhelmed. Angry. Tired. Bitter. Achy.

BUT…one thing is different. In this last year I have met Jesus. Really met Him. Not long ago this noise around me would have made me forget Jesus…but now, it just makes me want Him more.

Where does He meet us? He meets us when our minds/hearts/spirits are focused on Him. He meets us when we worship Him. He meets us when we read His Word. He meets us when we are silent before Him.

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (‭1 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭11-13‬ NLT)

He speaks to us when we are silent, and listening.

How much time do we spend in silence before Him? In worship? In His Word? For many of us it’s that 30 minutes of worship Sunday morning. Maybe we squeeze in a few minutes of guilty prayer in the car between errands. Our bible reading is 1 verse a day, and getting in that minute of reading is a real chore. Lot of time is spent feeling guilty, or convicted of something we can’t define.

If we’re hungry, we look for food. If we need clothes, we go shopping. If we want to connect with someone, we text, email, or pick up the phone. The point is we “make” the time we need to make to do what is necessary.

My personal challenge here is, since I can’t join a monastery, is to learn the joy of prayer. Constant prayer. Time with Jesus has to be more important than any screen time. Or any other distraction.

Do I need to check for messages before I check in to the Word?

No!

Do I need to see what others are up to before I hear the voice of Jesus?

No!

Do I need to hear the news before I hear the Good News?

No!

His words need to be the first thing I hear in the morning. Silence is something that needs to be carved out. It needs to be a priority. I need it to be a priority, or the meaning of life just withers away. And life’s frustrations just start to wear me down. Time spent with Jesus gives me the life and energy I need, and crave, to make it through another day.

I have used the word “need” frequently…it’s obvious what my heart is craving…

Silence, and Jesus!