Discipline of Silence and Stillness...

Stillness and silence allow for the presence of God and reorientation of life.

Does the volume of your life allow for the presence of God?

Greatest Obstacles to Silence and Stillness…

Fear, Addictions (Tech, Social Web, Entertainment Choices), Pursuits, Work Task List, Home Task List, Over-Commitment, Lack of Boundaries.

It's almost like we are addicted to noise itself.  We must remember, we have the ability to adjust the the volume.

Why be Silent and Still...

• To Hear From God… Psalm 40:6 – ““Ears you have dug for me.” He literally dug holes in our head through which His Word can pass to the heart and mind.
• To Talk to God… Jesus himself was “led by the Spirit into the wilderness” (Matthew 4:1), “went out to a desolate place” (Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42), and “went up on the mountain by himself to pray . . . alone” (Matthew 14:23).
• To Worship God…Psalm 46:10 (ESV) “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
• To Wait/Trust/Hope Upon God… Exodus 14:14 (ESV) "The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Psalm 62:1 (ESV) "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation or My hope is in Him."
• To be Changed by God and To Reorient Our Compass…   Job 38… God says "Enough Talking!" ...Who are you, where were you, who do you think U are? Job’s response… 40:4 “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I LAY MY HAND ON MY MOUTH.”

R Kent Hughes writes that being still and silent before God is like “time exposure to God. Our souls function like photographic plates the more we expose our lives to the white-hot sun of his righteous life, the more His image will be burned into our character. His love, his compassion, his truth, his integrity, his humility…”

Practical Helps...

1. Preparation – Take time to make a plan.
2. Place – Find a good place where you are alone and can be quiet.
3. Time – Find a good time that works with no distraction.  Consider a daily retreat, monthly retreat, and an annual retreat.