I've blogged on silence before, something I need, and so often lack. It is normal for me to be occupied with something. Rarely really am I completely quiet.
But I'm realizing again I need to make times for such quiet. Such quiet times are always blessed in one way or another, but they seem so contrary to nature, at least to my nature. Even during "quiet times" I want to be speaking words to God, or to have words from God's word pouring over me. But sometimes we need one thing: a kind of attentive, sustained silence.
We endeavor to be quiet so we can hear God speak. So that we can listen. We develop a habit of disciplined silence. I must say I'm not there. And it most certainly is a personal discipline for me to keep silent. And if it's hard for me to do, then perhaps that's an indicator that I need to do it. An itch to be silent amidst the clutter and clatter of all the "noise" can be an indicator that one needs it.
I wonder if anyone might want to share how being quiet and remaining in silence has helped you.
Showing posts with label silence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label silence. Show all posts
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
silence
On Saturday, from at least 9 am until 4:00 pm, we were silent. This silence was imposed on us as a group. It was a time for prayer, reflection, listening for God's voice. While we met at a Dominican Center, the only Catholic thing we did was to walk a prayer labyrinth like the one seen here, along with being silent. I found that prayer walk to be a good, profound experience for me, perhaps the most intimate of the day. And just being silent was good, even as we ate lunch together.
Like our Pastor Sharon said, a good share of God's working on me was over what annoyed me. Of course one encounters minor annoyances, not the least of which is having to pass people by and not speak. I really only had one annoyance, and it was a major one for me, but something God was able to use for good, even though it made part of my day uncomfortable. During the last hour, we had anointing with oil and prayer for those asking for healing or commissioning to service, and then holy communion together, before we left.
The result I can see from the experience is the desire to carry on more of the same into my regular daily life. Seeking God in more silence. And also an enlargening or deepening of my capacity to seek and want more of God and of his working and will in my life. Deb enjoyed it also.
Through silence hopefully God's word penetrates deeper into our hearts and lives. Sometimes before, or in the midst of this happening, we need to have our hearts exposed, coming to God in our helplessness and emptiness. That can be unpleasant, but often only through that do we begin to set our hearts on God. Although God works in different ways at different times, maybe giving us an extraordinary sense of his presence early on, while working on us later. For me there was no extraordinary sense of his presence at all throughout the day. But it was still a great day in God's presence with others of God's children.
Have any of you ever been a part of a silent retreat? Anything you'd like to share about that, or on this?
Like our Pastor Sharon said, a good share of God's working on me was over what annoyed me. Of course one encounters minor annoyances, not the least of which is having to pass people by and not speak. I really only had one annoyance, and it was a major one for me, but something God was able to use for good, even though it made part of my day uncomfortable. During the last hour, we had anointing with oil and prayer for those asking for healing or commissioning to service, and then holy communion together, before we left.
The result I can see from the experience is the desire to carry on more of the same into my regular daily life. Seeking God in more silence. And also an enlargening or deepening of my capacity to seek and want more of God and of his working and will in my life. Deb enjoyed it also.
Through silence hopefully God's word penetrates deeper into our hearts and lives. Sometimes before, or in the midst of this happening, we need to have our hearts exposed, coming to God in our helplessness and emptiness. That can be unpleasant, but often only through that do we begin to set our hearts on God. Although God works in different ways at different times, maybe giving us an extraordinary sense of his presence early on, while working on us later. For me there was no extraordinary sense of his presence at all throughout the day. But it was still a great day in God's presence with others of God's children.
Have any of you ever been a part of a silent retreat? Anything you'd like to share about that, or on this?
Thursday, June 19, 2008
silence
I'm finding that I need silence more and more. I'm afraid my life was too full of wall to wall noise, in my past.
For years I either had music on, or was listening to the Bible being read on recordings. Alot of good stuff, but constant noise. I know of times if my wife wasn't home, I'd even have noise on at night as I was going to sleep.
That did change over the years as I became a person of alot less noise, yet relatively still more than was perhaps healthy. Now "noise" for me can include too much reading, though reading more meditatively, especially Scripture, in silence I think doesn't necessarily count as noise.
But I find that more and more I value silence. It makes me more keen for when I do read or listen to something. And in the silence I often get the sense of God which I need. I get a sense of trying to listen to God, draw near to him, and pray.
I need to listen, be still, and wait on God. In the silence, in the stillness, while in the word of God, or in a good book. This seems important to me, and maybe it's just a needed escape from the noisy culture in which we live, good at drowning out what we most need to hear.
What do you think about silence? Do you like it? Why or why not?
For years I either had music on, or was listening to the Bible being read on recordings. Alot of good stuff, but constant noise. I know of times if my wife wasn't home, I'd even have noise on at night as I was going to sleep.
That did change over the years as I became a person of alot less noise, yet relatively still more than was perhaps healthy. Now "noise" for me can include too much reading, though reading more meditatively, especially Scripture, in silence I think doesn't necessarily count as noise.
But I find that more and more I value silence. It makes me more keen for when I do read or listen to something. And in the silence I often get the sense of God which I need. I get a sense of trying to listen to God, draw near to him, and pray.
I need to listen, be still, and wait on God. In the silence, in the stillness, while in the word of God, or in a good book. This seems important to me, and maybe it's just a needed escape from the noisy culture in which we live, good at drowning out what we most need to hear.
What do you think about silence? Do you like it? Why or why not?
Monday, February 18, 2008
read slowly
I guess I'm not a fan of speed reading, unless you're reading something not all that riveting to you, but having some importance, or else having to complete a heavy academic load. I think here especially of our Bible reading. When we read Scripture do we really let it have a chance, as God's word, to really get hold of us? To do so means more than to just read it, good as that is. I think it involves reading it slowly.
We read it slowly in a receptive manner, to receive it as what it is, the word of God. We may not know exactly what God is saying to us, or how this word is impacting us. But the important thing is that we're there with our Bible, in quietness before God, to let him speak or impact us as he pleases. It's not an issue of whether or not we have to sense that speaking or impact on us. No. We have to proceed by faith and seek to do so with a listening heart as in the words of Samuel, "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening."
Reading slow means to read letting the thoughts come to us. Letting the Bible speak to us on its own terms; thus truly opening ourselves up to the word of God and all that can mean for us.
This will take time on our part. Being unhurried. Reading Scripture can become monotonous and I think sometimes we have to fight through times of boredom and tedium in our reading of it. But often this is the case, surely, because we're not giving it the time and place it needs.
For my part, I tend to want to read it in large chunks and quite alot over time. But I'm afraid in doing so I may be running ahead of really letting the word of God speak to me.
I don't want to discount that fact that Scripture plainly speaks to us with mostly words that on the surface are not hard to understand. But it takes more than just an understanding of their meaning, but a work of God by faith, so that we will take in the meaning and reality of the meaning in Jesus, into the very fabric of our hearts and out from that into our lives. We are indeed, to eat the Book (cf., prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and John on the island of Patmos in writing the book of the Revelation).
I am a believer in us reading through the entire Bible from cover to cover, repeatedly. But I also think we need to be willing to read it slowly, and sometimes the same passage repeatedly. And we need to do this regularly, at least as a rule, once a day.
Of course some of us can have it quiet much easier than others. For some with babies and small children, quiet for any certain length of time may be impossible. We just have to do the best we can to get a space somehow, where we can do this, however imperfectly. The Lord looks on our efforts, not on the actual performance.
What help can any of you offer on this? Or anything you might like to say.
We read it slowly in a receptive manner, to receive it as what it is, the word of God. We may not know exactly what God is saying to us, or how this word is impacting us. But the important thing is that we're there with our Bible, in quietness before God, to let him speak or impact us as he pleases. It's not an issue of whether or not we have to sense that speaking or impact on us. No. We have to proceed by faith and seek to do so with a listening heart as in the words of Samuel, "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening."
Reading slow means to read letting the thoughts come to us. Letting the Bible speak to us on its own terms; thus truly opening ourselves up to the word of God and all that can mean for us.
This will take time on our part. Being unhurried. Reading Scripture can become monotonous and I think sometimes we have to fight through times of boredom and tedium in our reading of it. But often this is the case, surely, because we're not giving it the time and place it needs.
For my part, I tend to want to read it in large chunks and quite alot over time. But I'm afraid in doing so I may be running ahead of really letting the word of God speak to me.
I don't want to discount that fact that Scripture plainly speaks to us with mostly words that on the surface are not hard to understand. But it takes more than just an understanding of their meaning, but a work of God by faith, so that we will take in the meaning and reality of the meaning in Jesus, into the very fabric of our hearts and out from that into our lives. We are indeed, to eat the Book (cf., prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and John on the island of Patmos in writing the book of the Revelation).
I am a believer in us reading through the entire Bible from cover to cover, repeatedly. But I also think we need to be willing to read it slowly, and sometimes the same passage repeatedly. And we need to do this regularly, at least as a rule, once a day.
Of course some of us can have it quiet much easier than others. For some with babies and small children, quiet for any certain length of time may be impossible. We just have to do the best we can to get a space somehow, where we can do this, however imperfectly. The Lord looks on our efforts, not on the actual performance.
What help can any of you offer on this? Or anything you might like to say.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
silence
I'm probably in some respects a noisy person. I'm one who can so easily talk too much and too long; I really try to avoid that, and succeed for the most part, though I most easily slip in that mode here at home with Deb. Sometimes I do have to make an effort to be quiet.
In the past I almost always had background music on, and when not that, I was listening to Scripture being read. A habit of years, I mean the nearly constant music, not easy to break.
I still don't see myself as a person of silence, but I'm recognizing how I value it in my life now. I really want no noise, or at least try to block it out with ear plugs when I'm reading Scripture in the morning and at night. And when I'm sitting down to post something here, I want it quiet, so I can try to discern what to say, trying to discern something of God's voice in my life. Silence facilitates that for me. Helping me to focus in on seeking to hear and discern what God might be saying to me.
What about you and silence? Are you friends? What might you like to share on this?
In the past I almost always had background music on, and when not that, I was listening to Scripture being read. A habit of years, I mean the nearly constant music, not easy to break.
I still don't see myself as a person of silence, but I'm recognizing how I value it in my life now. I really want no noise, or at least try to block it out with ear plugs when I'm reading Scripture in the morning and at night. And when I'm sitting down to post something here, I want it quiet, so I can try to discern what to say, trying to discern something of God's voice in my life. Silence facilitates that for me. Helping me to focus in on seeking to hear and discern what God might be saying to me.
What about you and silence? Are you friends? What might you like to share on this?
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
the change in waiting
Yesterday in a comment, Rachel reminded me and us, of the change that can come as we're waiting on the Lord. I find this to be true in my life at times. I may be aware of something about myself that is either plainly not right, or I'm not sure about. And in the meantime, I may not be sure what to do about it.
It's always safe and sound to bring it to God, and then wait. To keep bringing it before God and keep waiting, if nothing else, just to remind ourselves why and what we're waiting for.
I find myself waiting for a clear answer from God, as I commit myself to following him in obedience, no matter what he puts on my heart and mind to do. And as children of God, I'm sure we've all been there, when God seemed to clearly put it on our hearts what we should do in a difficult matter. And even when it was hard, all of the edge was taken off simply because we had a clear, unwavering sense that God had given and was giving that direction to us.
But I've found just as often, if not more, that God's answer is not so much to change the course I'm to take, but to change me which then subtly, or perhaps not so subtly, changes what course I take or am taking.
This waiting is sometimes crucial at certain times. But in a sense we're to be so waiting before God all the time. As L.L. Barkat reminded me yesterday it's more about what God gives us then what we do ourselves. From what God gives to us in blessing, we then give to each other and to the world in which we live.
What about you? What have you found in the change that comes by waiting on the Lord?
It's always safe and sound to bring it to God, and then wait. To keep bringing it before God and keep waiting, if nothing else, just to remind ourselves why and what we're waiting for.
I find myself waiting for a clear answer from God, as I commit myself to following him in obedience, no matter what he puts on my heart and mind to do. And as children of God, I'm sure we've all been there, when God seemed to clearly put it on our hearts what we should do in a difficult matter. And even when it was hard, all of the edge was taken off simply because we had a clear, unwavering sense that God had given and was giving that direction to us.
But I've found just as often, if not more, that God's answer is not so much to change the course I'm to take, but to change me which then subtly, or perhaps not so subtly, changes what course I take or am taking.
This waiting is sometimes crucial at certain times. But in a sense we're to be so waiting before God all the time. As L.L. Barkat reminded me yesterday it's more about what God gives us then what we do ourselves. From what God gives to us in blessing, we then give to each other and to the world in which we live.
What about you? What have you found in the change that comes by waiting on the Lord?
Friday, January 11, 2008
slow down
I can imagine my wife, Deb, riding a horse, and doing whatever horseriders do, along with the words- something like: "Whoa. Slow down, Duke (name of her old, favorite horse). Slow down." If the Lord would speak directly to us individually- me, and many around me, I think he might say something much the same.
I am nearly always in a mode that I think is a step or two, or maybe even a half a step ahead of the Lord. Result is the same: I'm out of step, and therefore end up not really walking with the Lord at all. Maybe some of us lag behind, and in my getting ahead, I can end up knowing I'm lost, and then end up lagging behind as well. I suspect most Christians in my culture have this problem of getting ahead of the Lord, in our hurry to get this, that and something else done. And in our misplaced priorities.
Slowing down involves faith that insists that all in this life at the core is of God. If God is not in it, and if it's not a work of God, then it's not worth our while, or activity. Yet by nature we think we can do it. Of course there are necessary things to do that do crowd in on us at times. The question might be, How do we do those things? And in so doing, are we endeavoring to walk by the Spirit, and not by the flesh.
I feel lost even as I'm typing this post. It's almost automatic of me that I'm ahead of the Lord, and therefore not really myself, as God would have myself to be and as he is remaking me in Jesus.
So what then, and now? I have to stop. Listen. Wait. On the Lord. Pray. Read Scripture slowly, and preferably out loud, even if in my mind. I know that as I do this, in faith, God will help me to get back to where I belong as his child, and as a brother with our Brother, in fellowship with each other in him.
Then and there there is a quiet sense of rest, grace and peace. And that is where I want to dwell. But from which I so easily stray.
Well, hopefully there are a number of you who can help us in this. What would you add to these piecemeal thoughts?
I am nearly always in a mode that I think is a step or two, or maybe even a half a step ahead of the Lord. Result is the same: I'm out of step, and therefore end up not really walking with the Lord at all. Maybe some of us lag behind, and in my getting ahead, I can end up knowing I'm lost, and then end up lagging behind as well. I suspect most Christians in my culture have this problem of getting ahead of the Lord, in our hurry to get this, that and something else done. And in our misplaced priorities.
Slowing down involves faith that insists that all in this life at the core is of God. If God is not in it, and if it's not a work of God, then it's not worth our while, or activity. Yet by nature we think we can do it. Of course there are necessary things to do that do crowd in on us at times. The question might be, How do we do those things? And in so doing, are we endeavoring to walk by the Spirit, and not by the flesh.
I feel lost even as I'm typing this post. It's almost automatic of me that I'm ahead of the Lord, and therefore not really myself, as God would have myself to be and as he is remaking me in Jesus.
So what then, and now? I have to stop. Listen. Wait. On the Lord. Pray. Read Scripture slowly, and preferably out loud, even if in my mind. I know that as I do this, in faith, God will help me to get back to where I belong as his child, and as a brother with our Brother, in fellowship with each other in him.
Then and there there is a quiet sense of rest, grace and peace. And that is where I want to dwell. But from which I so easily stray.
Well, hopefully there are a number of you who can help us in this. What would you add to these piecemeal thoughts?
Friday, December 07, 2007
Advent and repentance
We're not told, precisely, that John the Baptizer's father, Zechariah, actually repented. But he was muted, unable to talk, after he failed to believe God's word through the messenger sent to him, when he was doing priestly service for Israel, in the temple.
God's graciously blessed him and his wife Elizabeth, in their old age, with the birth of a son, the forerunner of the Christ, John the Baptizer. I'm sure Zechariah repented of his unbelief along the way. At John's birth his muted state was removed, as he confirmed the name that had been given to him from the messenger/angel, and then we have the Benedictus as Zechariah bursts in thoughtful praise to God.
Repentance is something we do, whether we feel like it or not. We agree with God and God's word, that we are wrong in word or deed, including our inner world of thoughts and attitudes. This is a humbling of ourselves before God. And God will answer in his grace. God changes us, and gives us, in time, a sense of his peace.
John the Baptizer was sent to prepare the way for the Lord. He is important as well, as we think of Advent. Our hearts need to be prepared to receive, in Jesus, God's coming into this world- all of it, including every part of our existence.
God's graciously blessed him and his wife Elizabeth, in their old age, with the birth of a son, the forerunner of the Christ, John the Baptizer. I'm sure Zechariah repented of his unbelief along the way. At John's birth his muted state was removed, as he confirmed the name that had been given to him from the messenger/angel, and then we have the Benedictus as Zechariah bursts in thoughtful praise to God.
Repentance is something we do, whether we feel like it or not. We agree with God and God's word, that we are wrong in word or deed, including our inner world of thoughts and attitudes. This is a humbling of ourselves before God. And God will answer in his grace. God changes us, and gives us, in time, a sense of his peace.
John the Baptizer was sent to prepare the way for the Lord. He is important as well, as we think of Advent. Our hearts need to be prepared to receive, in Jesus, God's coming into this world- all of it, including every part of our existence.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
don't take the bait
Sometimes in life it's like a bait all the sudden is cast in front of you, and we grab hold of it only to find the hooks with the worm and we're painfully caught. We have to be ready for this at the most unexpected times. It just hits us, often our own thoughts, and we act on it.
Better oftentimes to refuse to act on it. Don't say what we're thinking or make a sudden and maybe rash decision or give in to an impulse. It's not fun to have to apologize or take it back or work out of what might become a compulsion. Though there may be a time where what we did and the tussle that follows can work out for good. But most often all too much of ourselves is in it, and not enough of the Jesus Creed. And that creed includes some difficult items like loving, praying for and doing good to our enemies and blessing those who curse us.
Key for me here is to recognize this as a time to be silent or stop myself and pray. Usually just a short time gets me past this lure, and oftentimes problems avoided can move us towards a solution on the issue, or keeps me from making a new problem as we seek in all things by grace to follow Jesus.
What have you learned about this? Or what might you add?
Better oftentimes to refuse to act on it. Don't say what we're thinking or make a sudden and maybe rash decision or give in to an impulse. It's not fun to have to apologize or take it back or work out of what might become a compulsion. Though there may be a time where what we did and the tussle that follows can work out for good. But most often all too much of ourselves is in it, and not enough of the Jesus Creed. And that creed includes some difficult items like loving, praying for and doing good to our enemies and blessing those who curse us.
Key for me here is to recognize this as a time to be silent or stop myself and pray. Usually just a short time gets me past this lure, and oftentimes problems avoided can move us towards a solution on the issue, or keeps me from making a new problem as we seek in all things by grace to follow Jesus.
What have you learned about this? Or what might you add?
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
being quiet
By nature, I guess, I'm just not a quiet person. I used to have the Bible being read on tapes for a significant portion of time daily, driving my wife a little crazy. And then I'd turn on music which Deb didn't mind, but still grew tired of.
Those days are gone, but I still do play some music, listen to books being read when I'm doing work with my hands, and reading alot, when I have time. So there's really not much stillness in my life.
But I've come to see that I really need stillness in order to better hear God's voice to me in Christ and through Scripture. I may not hear God's voice to me at the times of quiet, but such times do better prepare me for hearing God's voice when I read Scripture.
What have you found to be true about this in your own life?
Those days are gone, but I still do play some music, listen to books being read when I'm doing work with my hands, and reading alot, when I have time. So there's really not much stillness in my life.
But I've come to see that I really need stillness in order to better hear God's voice to me in Christ and through Scripture. I may not hear God's voice to me at the times of quiet, but such times do better prepare me for hearing God's voice when I read Scripture.
What have you found to be true about this in your own life?
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