Let us keep our silent sanctuaries for in them the eternal perspectives are preserved. Elienne Senancor
Some noise is soothing- a gentle breeze rustling autumn leaves, a tender lullaby, the voice of a friend. Too often, however, a cacophony of unwanted sounds clutters modern life- pounding jackhammers, ringing cell phones, honking horns.Excessive noise isn't healthy for you. Trying to mentally tune out noise while you're completing tasks stresses your body by making it work harder. Noise increases your pulse rate and blood pressure, makes your adrenaline surge and depletes your energy.
Noise not only takes a toll on your mind and body. It also takes a toll on your soul. A mind that cannot quite down will have trouble hearing God's voice. Jesus often went off into the wilderness to pray. He knew the value of a quite place away from the crowds, and he tried to instill the importance of these silent sanctuaries into the lives of his followers. In Mark 6:31 (NIrV) Jesus said to his apostles, "Come with me by yourselves to a quite place. You need to get some rest." So they left by boat for a quite place.
If you have a park near your home or office, pray while taking a walk in it or spend time on a park bench reading the Bible as a great way to briefly retreat from clamor.
If you don't have the luxury of retreating to a more serene location, you can create a quite place at home. It can be anywhere- the corner of your bathroom or den, a chair on the porch, or the bathtub. Where you have your quite place doesn't matter so much as that you prepare it. Close the windows to shut off outside distractions. Turn off your cell phone, radio and TV. Ask other members of your household not to disturb you for a set amount of time. Then tell God the concerns of your heart. Listen in silent expectation for his answers and words of encouragement. They may not always come right away. But the more comfortable you are with silence, the easier it is to hear God whisper.
One Final Thought
Building silent sanctuaries into your life will not only benefit your body, but will also help you better understand the one who created it.
Source: Simple Living for you ( God's Guide to Enjoying What Matters Most ) Labels: ... Cultivating Quite ... |
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