Editor's note: Enjoy today's devotion from Don’t Stop Praying by Matthew West.
*
Isn’t it amazing how uncomfortable we are with just being quiet these days? We are so used to the surround sound of modern life that noise has become the norm. At least I know it has for me. Not long ago I had the chance to visit the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, North Carolina. I stayed at this place called the Cove for the evening. My hotel room was tucked away in the woods with no TV and no internet access. I remember sitting on the bed that night realizing that the first thing I do in any hotel room is turn on the TV, and the second thing I do is — yep — check my phone! That short stay in the quiet of the mountains highlighted just how much I’ve become uneasy with silence.
Lately, when I’ve found myself wondering Is God speaking?
I’ve considered that maybe I should be asking myself a better question:
- Am I listening?
I think we’ve all been around someone and thought, That guy sure loves the sound of his own voice! Ha! But so many of us are just uncomfortable with awkward pauses and complete quiet. I am learning that the noise surrounding me also seems to amplify the noise flowing through my inner world.
Occasionally, when I am hanging out with my wife, she will ask, “Have you heard a single word I’ve said?” And I have to confess that my mind was off buzzing through tomorrow’s work conversations and schedules. Honestly? I think God often wants to say the same thing to us: Are you listening?
I recently looked at the story of the prophet Elijah, who fled into the wilderness fearing for his life. The Bible says that God told Elijah to stand on a mountain and He would soon pass by (1 Kings 19:9–13). A mighty wind passed through the mountains, but God wasn’t in the wind. An earthquake shook the ground, but God wasn’t in the earthquake. A great fire blazed, but God wasn’t in the fire. God wasn’t found in the noisy, shock-and-awe kinds of moments. Nope.
He showed up in a gentle whisper, a still, small voice.
That story convicts me about God’s tendency to speak gently and quietly when I am ready to listen.
I also love the verse we talked about in Mark that gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ prayer life:
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. — 1:35
I don’t know whether you have ever watched the series The Chosen, but it has plenty of scenes where the disciples are asking “Where is Jesus?” and He is off by Himself in prayer. Even in His busy ministry, Jesus made time for quiet moments with God.
- If Jesus needed solitude and quiet to connect with the Father, how much more do we?
I’ll never forget the weeks that followed a vocal cord surgery that nearly ended my singing career when I literally couldn’t voice a single word. During that season I really began to recognize how we’re all so uncomfortable with silence. But that season of quiet became an incredible time of spiritual growth. I may have lost my voice, but I heard the voice of the Father like never before. And it made me crave more of that in my life. I get convicted sometimes about how often I still charge into the conversations with God when I should be listening. It might seem passive, but it requires digging in deeper and finding the quiet. I wonder how often we miss something special He is trying to say to us because we can’t be quiet. What if God is just waiting for you to pause and listen today?
Prayer Challenge
Today, find a quiet place and pray this prayer:
Heavenly Father, help me to quiet my heart and listen for Your voice. In the busyness of life, remind me that You often speak in the stillness. Give me the wisdom to step away from distractions and spend time with You. Speak, Lord — I’m listening. Amen.
Prayer Journal
- What distractions in your life keep you from listening to God?
- How can you create more space for silence and stillness in your daily routine?
- Think of a time when you felt God speaking to you, whether through Scripture, prayer, or a quiet moment. What did you learn from that experience, and how can you be more intentional about listening to Him now?
Excerpted with permission from Don’t Stop Praying by Matthew West, copyright Matthew West.
* * *
Your Turn
Does silence make you uneasy, too? What might happen if you started to embrace silence and listen up for God’s still small voice? He’s speaking to you! ~ Devotionals Daily