A Little S & S

While listening to Pastor Ben’s sermon yesterday on silence and solitude, one question he asked stood out to me… “What is coming up in my life that if I don’t stop now and take an extended time to prepare myself, I could make a huge mistake?”

Stop? Why stop? Why can’t I catch His voice on the fly? Well, for one thing, because God isn’t a screamer. If my life is relentlessly loud, how will I hear the still small voice of His Spirit, my Teacher and Guide? And God is a leader. If I'm forging ahead, throttle wide open, how will I obey that most basic command of discipleship: “Follow Me”?

I think we all struggle with how to stop and build a listening stillness into our lives. Let me share one way: when you spend time in prayer, however much it is – 5 minutes, fifteen, whatever – try dividing it in half.

Half the time, talk to God. Praise Him. Tell Him how you feel about Him. Tell Him what is bothering you. Tell Him what you need. Do just what Phil. 4: 6 (LB) urges us: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers” (You can read another verse or two to find out the fantastic benefit of this simple kind of prayer).

The other half, listen. Tell the Lord, “Okay, Lord, I’ve laid it all out before you. For the next – minutes I’m just going to listen. Speak to me about these things, and about anything else you want to bring to my mind. I intend, by Your Spirit, to believe You and trust You and obey You.” And stick to your commitment to listen. If your mind wanders (and it will), recall your thoughts as soon as you recognize it.

You’ll find, I think, that silence and solitude is not a lonely vacuum. God draws very near, and speaks very clearly – not always, but often. Once we make that discovery, it’s easier to return to S & S again… and again. Not just when there’s a monumental decision to be made or a crisis that needs divine intervention or the possibility of making a huge mistake if we don’t, but also when life is dull and daily and we want to hear that Voice and sense that Presence and know that we are not alone, and we are on the right track.