Noise

Slow down just a minute. Pause. Listen. What do you hear? Can you hear the AC unit? A clock? Traffic? The TV? Kids? It's hard to get away from noise. I remember one day back in 1983 when I spent an entire day, long before sunrise and long after sunset, in the woods alone. I saw no humans, heard no voices and was too far from a road to hear traffic. But it's not too often I get to spend a whole day in the Missouri foothills. Otherwise, noise fills my life. Why, just this week one of my neighbors has been building a new driveway and the trucks have rolled in at 6 a.m. One morning a jack hammer was thumping away at 6:10, yes, A.M.

I think all of us would do well to find a little solitude. I know it's hard to do. And some have even been critical of solitude since it appears to be more of a withdrawal from than engagement of the marketplace. Yet, I fear we may be so engaged in the marketplace sometimes that we fail to regroup. At its worst, solitude is selfish. At its best, however, solitude is not escapism; it is essential preparation for service. It is being quiet to make sure your divine signals are correct. Some of the greatest biblical heroes spent time in the dessert (Moses, Elijah, John, Jesus, Paul). But they were not escaping; they were preparing.

Could you consider planning a day sometime when you get off alone somewhere (anywhere) simply to pray, read and write about spiritual matters. Surely we occasionally find time to spend an entire day with someone we love; I know we did when we were dating. What difference might it make in our spiritual formation if we spent an entire day with God? What if we began right now making a list of the things we'd like to talk about with God? Do you think that might excite God?


I'm not talking about spending a day navelgazing. I'm talking about a day of spiritual solitude, when I use of my mouth to speak to God only and my spiritual ears to listen to Him alone. Sound appealing? Sound easy? I wonder if it just might be possible that constant noise reflects spiritual laziness whereas periodic solitude and quiet reflect spiritual passion and maturity. Maybe it's time to be lazy for one day so that our spiritual journey isn't quite so hazy.

--Terrell