Enter The Silence - Lizzie Young

As a parent and wife, you rarely get alone time. If you have kids, I am sure you can relate. For those of who are not a parent yet, let me just warn you that you do not get any sleep. Kids have access to every room and eyes watching every move, every mistake and every triumph. I love being a mum but I know it can get noisy and busy…

Much like that, we have to learn to do life in the noise. As Christians we are called to be in the world but not of the world. We have to learn to live in the noise but also learn how to separate ourselves from the noise. In order to live not of this world, we must live by another voice and that voice needs to be louder than the world’s noise.

We learn this through silence and being peaceful. We are made to do life authentically and uncompromisingly and when we choose silence we can hear God’s voice, we can then live an authentic life. Through the silence we gain; authority, peace, growth, restored hope and freedom.

We all know that we are made of body, soul and sprit. Through these, I would like to give you three ways to enter into silence.

1. SILENCE YOUR BODY

Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion. Psalm 65:1

Through the tongue - The word ‘awaiting’ translated in Psalm 65 comes from a root meaning to be dumb. This does not mean that there is no praise, but that praise is so complete that at first it can find no words. It means to fall silent before God, in awe at His presence and in submission to His will. Praise is so much more than a song on a Sunday in church. We have grown so accustomed to the first ten minutes of a church service being praise that we forget to stand and hear the words we are singing.

You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves   and silenced the shouting of the nations. Psalm 65:7

Through the ears - God wants to silence the lies. God’s might is shown in His ability to quiet not only the oceans but also the noise of the people of the world. The noise of news, radio and social media can be raging oceans that we need to step back from to enjoy the silence. May I ask you, what lies have you been listening to?

Through eyes - What are you comparing yourself to that needs to be silenced? We have to silence our eyes to comparison so that we can see how God sees us. I remember when I was growing up in Australia, all the other girls had blond hair and blue eyes. At 11 years old I ran away from home because I could not get a comb through my hair… I looked at it as something I could never achieve, comparing myself. I had to silence the comparison of this world.

Through Smell - Temptation is a smell that lures you into its presence. Things in this world can be attractive but we need to silence our sense of smell (desires) to not walk into that temptation. We need to silence our senses if we want to get closer to hearing the voice of God.

2. SILENCE YOUR SOUL

Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. Psalm 62:1

Truly my soul silently waits for God means a surrendered silence before God alone. The natural mind is ever prone to reason, ever prone to be at work even when we need to be silent.

I read a commentary the other day on Psalm 62, “This is why God keeps you waiting. All that is of self and nature must be silence; one voice after another cease to boast; one light after another be put out; until the soul is shut up to God alone.”

God will keep you waiting until you silence your soul. Psalm 62:5 says; my soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. David speaks of the state of his soul, then he is speaking to his soul, telling it to remain in trust and surrender. David’s complete expectation was upon God.

3. SILENCE YOUR SPIRIT

This is to quieting your spirit in the midst of a storm. Sometimes things happen, we worry and all efforts you can physically make are outside of your control. Sometimes, for whatever reason, God is simply letting it rain. It is in these moments that we need to trust and trust comes from learning to be silent in His presence.

Lord, I am not proud and haughty. I do not think myself better than others. I do not pretend to “know it all.” I am quiet now before the Lord, just as a child who is weaned from the breast. Yes, my begging has been stilled. Psalm 131:1

Psalm 131 is a picture of a child who is past the breastfeeding years but remembers that on mama's breast is the place of warmth and peace. It is the place where hunger is satisfied. I remember as a parent nursing my kids for the first time, this is such a picture of God’s grace. To be still and satisfied. The only way to dwell in that secret place and to hear the soothing beat of God’s heart is to get so close to Him and intentionally choosing to be still and silent.

In the midst of the storms that are outside of your control, there is a peace That becomes your compass. The outside noise is quietened when you can hear the heartbeat from where you came from. There, in that quiet place, He will meet with you.

The Father is running after you, drawing you home where you belong. Take time to silence your body, soul and spirit and allow God to satisfy and calm your storm.

Lizzie is married to Blake Young and mother to Keilani, Zion, Shiloh. She lives in Gaborone, Botswana and is on team at Kingdomcity