Stillness

By: Joseph Murdy, Intern
Have you ever had the power go out and all at once everything turns off? The television, washer and dryer, the refrigerator, and any other noises which we may have grown numb to even noticing. Silence has become something which shocks us and even makes us nervous. We are constantly surrounded by noises, cars, TV’s neighbors, even air planes flying over our homes. Noise is a constant reality; it has become linked with our every day experience so much that we hardly ever notice. I know people who cannot sleep at night unless they have the TV on. People from the city claim they cannot sleep well in secluded areas without the noise of their city in the background. Try an experiment, right now as you are reading this, close your eyes and count all the noises you hear. I bet there will be some you might not even recognize.
Years ago I experienced silence for the first time. I traveled to Saint Augustine’s House in Oxford Michigan, which was a small Lutheran Monastery. I needed to get away from it all. My first morning there I sat in the chapel praying, praying, and praying. Thinking, thinking, and thinking. I prayed and talked so much (***this is not discouragement to pray) that eventually I ran out of things to say. It was at that moment I heard it, it was strange at first, but clear as sunshine….quiet. I was overwhelmed by complete and utter stillness. It is difficult to describe the peace I experienced in that quiet moment, which is why I invite you to experience the peace of quietness and stillness with me.
As I sat in the chapel surrounded in quiet one scripture verse dropped over me like summer rain on a hot day. Psalm 46: 10, “Be still and know that I am God.” I have no doubt that God listened and heard everyone of my prayers that day, I even have no doubt that God answered and responded to my prayers. God waited patiently until I got everything off my chest then comforted me with His presence. God had been with me the entire time, but it was not until I was free of distractions and noises that I became aware of the fact that He was truly there.
Today I want you to think about a place, could be your kitchen, living room, back yard, even your bedroom closet, any place where you can be free of noises and distractions. Pray until you’re breathless and slowly allow yourself to fall into stillness and quietness. It will be tough at first, maybe even hard. God invites us into his presence always. He is there in the midst of our noise and chaos, but it’s sometimes challenging to recognize God’s presence when we are surrounded by noise. God invites us to be wrapped in His presence. Today let go of the chaos in your life, your worries, your stress and everything else that is keeping you from Joy. Give them all over to God and you will begin find true peace. “Be still, and know that I am God.”