In His Name Devotionals
QUIET TIME
In His Name Devotionals
QUIET TIME
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). Wonderful things can happen in times of solitude, stillness, and silence before God. But stillness is hard—not available on some days or in certain life experiences.
For instance, there is precious little time for stillness when production deadlines are close; report due in an hour; an inspection in progress, city noises—voices and horns. There is constant motion. Shared living space is invaded by someone else’s music, TV, and voice. How do we find God in the midst of all the noise?
There are noises of a different quality that scream at us—pain from injury or illness, pressure of finding a job, putting life together after a death. These, too, take away our tranquil sense of God. Sometimes disappointment, loss, and sadness crash over us with the roar of an angry sea.
Strange as it may seem, the greater need for some of us may be less for stillness than to learn how to hear God’s voice in the middle of all the noise, chaotic activity, and disorienting times of trouble.
“They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits’ end. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord …” (Ps. 107:27-31).
Ours is not the first generation to feel the pressure of noise, tension, and uncertainty. The experience of some of those people can guide us in our times of stress, if we listen to them.
Psalm 107 speaks of people reeling and staggering under their load. There was no serene stillness before God for them. To the contrary, they were “at their wits’ end.” So, right in the middle of their frenzy and distress; right in the middle of their trouble, “they cried out to the Lord”—and God heard them.
If your life has more tumult than tranquility today, more crashing waves than calm waters, God has not slipped away from you. He beckons you to cry out to Him, and He will show Himself. Amidst all the noise, you will discover that He is near. God’s gentle whisper of peace comes through in the hectic moments as well as in the increasingly rare quiet ones. You can count on it. And claim it.
