Noise

I have spent the last several days out in the wilderness. It was quiet. I miss the quiet more than I can explain. My ears have become so accustom to noise that when we finally found a quiet spot I could hardly hear the quiet because of the ringing in my own ears *sigh*. Psalms 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God" It goes on to say, "I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth" Hmmm, I wonder if there is a connection between being still and God being exalted? I know that when I find a quiet place, I am more inclined to listen... Sometimes I wonder if I can glorify God more by being still than by anything I try to do for Him. One thing is clear to me, the pathway to knowing Him is learning to be still and learning to listen.

We live on a noisy street in town. The noise feels like a constant attack on my spirit. It is hard to find a quiet place where you can only hear the sounds that God created. Have you ever noticed that man made sounds (traffic, drippy water faucets, machinery) are wearying to the soul where as God made sounds (waterfalls, birds singing, the sound of the breeze in the trees) are calming to your spirit? The constant clamor and noise in my world makes it hard to hear God just like the noise of the traffic on my street drowns out the rustle of the leaves.

So God, it is wonderful to find some quiet, but I am wondering how to be practical about it. I long for this quiet but I am swimming in clamor most of the time. What about that? (Listening) Hmmm the first thing that came to mind was Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Then Jeremiah 29:13, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." So is being still, seeking Him?