FINDING A QUIET PLACE

FINDING A QUIET PLACE

In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength (Isa. 30:15)

Be still and know that I am God (Psa. 46:10)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul... (Psa. 23:1-3)

These verses speak - shall I say it - LOUDLY to us about quieting ourselves before the Lord. Yes, He created us with the ability to sing (well at least some of us) and shout for joy and worship Him in that way. And He delights when we call out His name in joyful praise and thanksgiving for who He is and for all He has done for us.

But there is a time and place for quietness and solitude where we draw close to Him and hear Him whisper His instructions, His love, and His concern for our concerns.

I don't know about you, but I am a people person. I love being around people and I get energized from their energy. But - sometimes - I have a day when I have had too much of people, of listening and talking to others. It is then that I feel the need most keenly to listen and let my God talk to me. I truly appreciate the solitude of being by myself with my Lord and instead of me doing the talking, allowing Him to speak to me in quiet words, or even no spoken words at all. It is then that I open my Bible and find strength and comfort in just reading the words and letting the Holy Spirit calm me and minister to me in quietness and confidence. It is then that I find my strength renewed for the coming activities of the next day.

We live in an age when we are surrounded by all kinds of noise - traffic and honking horns, too loud radios and TVs, but also loud cries of despair and hopelessness as we hear about war, and crime and devastating tragedies all around us. And it is the quiet solitude and peace that only comes from knowing Jesus and the assurance that He is in control that keeps us going.

I pray that as we experience that blessed quiet and solitude in our lives that it will be obvious to those we encounter who are suffering from too much noise in their lives, too many loud distractions placed there by Satan that they will truly be drawn to the only One who can calm the din and bring peace to their lives.

May our family, friends, and others we meet during our day, come face to face with the quiet confidence we not only share with them, but SHOW them, that comes from knowing Jesus Christ and His power to bring rest to our souls.

Lynn Randall