Need Peace?

Hey there, friend.

So, do you want to know a little something about me? For as long as I can remember, I have sought to fill silence - whether it was turning the television on for background noise as I read a book or finding something to say when a conversation lulls. I am completely a child of my generation in this aspect, as I usually tend to seek entertainment more than almost anything else. I have hardly ever known a silence that was not awkward, so I avoid it at all costs.

Are you like me in this way?

I would like to share some insight that the Holy Spirit recently revealed to me about this "quirk" of mine. It is not the silence I am trying to drown out at all, but my own thoughts. God has been slowly and kindly showing me that I am not so great at being alone with myself, and He's been speaking to me about this in a myriad of ways:

For instance, do you know those questions that are asked at the end of a sermon in church on Sundays? The ones about priorities or the contents of your heart? Well, most of my answers to this portion of the service have been, "I don’t have a clue, God. You know my heart. You tell me..." The only problem with this is, usually after asking for the Lord's input, I go ahead and fill every calm and quiet moment with distractions - hijacking the very moments God probably would have used to show me what's in my heart. I am starting to think that part of me is secretly aware of this and does not really want to know the answers I ask Him for. [Because, facing hard truths about yourself is…hard, right?] And God, just by showing me that I use entertainment to avoid facing things... is revealing a behavior of mine whether I like it or not. [Thank God for that! His honesty is my saving grace!]

Then, one night I was watching a movie about the life of Mr. Fred Rogers (which I totally recommend, by the way) and there was a scene that arrested my heart. In it, Mr. Rogers was walking in the tall grass alongside the sea near his home and simply said, "I love silence." I took in the serenity of the moment, and instantly realized how many times God has tried to give me this gift and how many times I have rejected it for cheap distractions.

"For God alone my soul waits in silence and quietly submits to Him, for my hope is from Him."

- Psalm 62:5 AMP

 Peace is something each one of us could use more of, right? We all want peace in our lives, peace within ourselves, and peace in our relationships. We want to stop overthinking everything about everything in our lives. Well, becoming friends with silence is a good place to start! Peace needs quiet to thrive. This will open endless opportunities for the Lord to confide in you, which is something He wants to do (see Jeremiah 33:3).

So, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I have been embracing the gift of silence instead of trying to strangle it with noise. And, I cannot even begin to express the difference it has made for me! There is power in being able to be alone with yourself.

Here are some changes I have been making:

• Before, as soon as I woke up in the morning, I would automatically reach for my phone. Now, I wake up and thank God for the good day ahead. I continue to pray. I stretch. I take in the moment, the sunshine and birds singing their morning melodies. Then, I reach for my phone. This may seem like a small tweak, but it feels so refreshing!

• I often go on afternoon walks to step away from the air-conditioned office for a little while. Before, I would walk outside with my faithful earbuds blasting away. Now, I have started leaving them behind to spend time with my faithful God instead. This brings me more rest than I can describe!

• This next change felt absolutely crazy at first! I have had a long-standing habit of cranking up some oldies and moonwalking across my kitchen floor as I cook dinner (that's not the crazy part, if you can believe it). Lately, get ready for this - I have been cooking and tidying up the kitchen without music - gasp! I spend time alone with my thoughts instead, take a look at what's actually going on inside of my head, and process my day. During my dinner, I watch Netflix of course, but after that I turn off the noise again instead of moonwalking or attempting to salsa dance as I do the dishes (much to the disappointment of my imaginary audience). This helps me to quiet my mind in preparation for bed. I have battled with insomnia for most of my life, and this last simple change has helped me get to sleep earlier than I was able to before!

Now, I do want to say that noise is not bad. Just like with anything else, too much of a good thing can quickly become unhealthy, and this is no exception. There is nothing wrong with jamming to our favorite songs, relaxing with a movie, or dancing away stress. However, our souls need stillness, too. I absolutely believe most of our anxiety, stress, and trouble sleeping stems from over-using entertainment and underestimating the value of peace and quiet. Most of us are suffering from noise overload, which ends up making us feel overwhelmed. We need to stop rejecting the silent moments purposefully sent by God to refresh our weary souls.

"Surrender your anxiety [relax]! Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God. I am the God above all the nations, and I will be exalted throughout the whole earth."

- Psalm 46:10 TPT

I know I used Mr. Rogers as a role model earlier, but wait, I've got an even better one for you: Jesus. Our Savior freely gave everything He had to help others, and it was during His quiet time with the Lord that He would personally get replenished and refueled. His time spent in silence was vital for His mission, His relationship with His Father, and His overall health. The same goes for you and me. We should follow Jesus’ lead and learn how to prioritize peace, quiet, prayer, and rest.

"After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone."

- Matthew 14:23 CSB

"Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there."

- Mark 1:35 AMP

"But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray [in seclusion]."

Luke 5:16 AMP

The truth is, silence only becomes awkward if we make it that way. And, perhaps silence feels so awkward and foreign to us because we don't spend enough time with it? Let's do something that will be so good for our souls and fall in love with peace and quiet!

I would like to issue this challenge to you, lovely friend: pick out moments throughout the day to be still and listen. Listen to the ambiance around you. Listen to the thoughts in your head (and surrender the negative ones to God. See 2 Corinthians 10:5). Listen for the Holy Spirit, who is always there whispering truth. Sew peace in your everyday moments so that you can reap peace in your everyday life.

"And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours]."

- Philippians 4:7 Amplified

Love you,

-Kelly