The Sound of Quiet

For the purpose of the point I want to make in the blog post, I am going to give you a peek into one aspect of my personality: By nature, I am not an overly talkative person. I don't consider myself anti-social and I am not a recluse. I do like to be around people. But, other than a few years during my teenage days, I am not inherently a Type A, gregarious social butterfly. In a large group, I am usually not the life of the party. (Even during my hyper teenage years, I still liked my time alone to read and I was happy to be with just with one or two friends. Crowds were fun but so was quiet time.)

I find personality analysis fascinating. It reveals things about us that remind us that we are not freaks of nature! Sure, your personality might be different than mine, but that does not make one of us superior to the other. It simply means that we are different, and it is those differences that make life so interesting. How boring life would be if we were all alike!

For the most part, I am content with my personality. It suits me well for the work the Lord has called me to do. I am generally not intimidated to meet new people or to be in different situations on a constant basis. I am not overwhelmed by change and I can take most crises in stride. Yet, another aspect of my personality craves quietness, time to reflect. And in the ministry, it is sometimes necessary to carve this time out purposefully; if I don't make a conscious effort, it does not happen.

The Sound of Quiet. It is time to refocus, gain strength that is depleted by giving and ministering to others. Actually, what I am referring to is an aspect of prayer. The Sound of Quiet is heard not when I am alone: it is heard when I am in a Secret Place with the Master. Just He and I. When all other voices are stilled, and my spirit is quieted, I can hear it...that still, small voice that the Prophet of old referred to. It is not always heard in Ahab's court, in the wind, in the earthquake. Sometimes, it is best heard when all other voices are stilled, including my own, and I listen, listen for the voice of the Lord.

There are those who say that God does not speak to people today. But I disagree. I believe that God wants to speak to His people, not just through His Word, but in a personal way that reinforces the written Word in our individual lives.

It is possible to hear the Sound of Quiet even in the midst of people. This habit takes cultivation. Even while listening to others, if we learn to LIVE in the Secret Place, we will be more in tune with God's voice than we are the voices around us, and our own voice as well. His voice will supersede all other sounds.

We must listen for it. God wants to speak to us, to heal us, to minister to us. God wants to quiet us, to soothe our spirits. In a driven, confused world with so many voices vying for our attention, we must keep our spiritual ears attuned to His voice. This takes constant vigilance. It is a practice cultivated in private prayer but one which can be maintained in crowds of people.

A song says, "Are you listening, Jesus?" Of course, He is listening. By His wonderful gift of listening to us He teaches us how to listen. I would rather hear the voice of the Lord than the voice of any human being, including my own voice. Human relationships are vital. In fact, much of the book of Proverbs is devoted to teaching us how to properly interact with people. Developing healthy human relationships is a biblical concept. Often, our spiritual health is directly related to our relationships with others. Yet, the secret to healthy communication with others is to first communicate with the Lord.

As an evangelist's wife, I find myself sometimes drained emotionally. This signifies that I need to retreat to the Secret Place and hear the Sound of Quiet. I need to once again hear the voice of the Master. I need fresh strength so that I can continue giving to others. There, as an old song says, "My heart will be renewed again. I've found a hiding place, a secret place with You."