I've been feeling the Lord telling me that my life needs to be a whole lot more quiet.
Yes, quiet.
In my head, a quiet life is a boring life. A quiet life means no adventure, no excitement, no friends, no parties, no late night Cookout, and no energy. No offense, Lord, but my ideal day doesn't consist of quietly reading the Bible by myself the entire time.
However, I don't think that that's what the Lord means by a quiet life. I don't think it means that my life needs to be boring and slow. In fact, I know that that's not what he means.
A quiet life: a life where, despite the noise of the world, you know that the Lord is good and that He is present.
I find myself so often getting caught up in the world and what it has to offer. So often, I forget the faithfulness of the Lord and focus on the temporary goodness that the world can bring. So often, I trust people and material objects to bring me satisfaction when it's only He who can satisfy. Why am I so quick to forget the Lord of Lords? Why do I so often see the world as my primary source of joy and peace and comfort?
I've learned that when I actually remember to start my day with quiet time, my day becomes a whole lot easier. My problems seem smaller, the world seems less satisfying, and the big distractions seem a bit smaller. No, spending time in the Word doesn't magically solve any issue I'll face that day, but it helps.
Imagine if your whole life was lived as my days are lived when I start them with the Lord. Imagine going through your day with a peace and comfort from the Lord that is unparalleled. Imagine knowing that He is good even when the waves are crashing down.
That's a quiet life, my friends.
It sounds so sweet, but what's keeping us from having it?
In my own life, I find myself so quick to impress others. I find myself so caught up in what the world tells me is right, wrong, cool and glamorous. I let the noise of the world dictate what I'm doing.
"Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." -1 Thessalonians 4:10-12
"Be still and know that I am God." -Psalm 46:10
Despite the noise, we're living for an audience of one. Despite the noise, there's only one source of peace and love and acceptance and joy. Despite the noise, there's nothing that should affect our emotions and our feelings more than the Lord. Despite the noise, He is consistently, constantly, and eternally good.
So, I urge you to not let the noise consume you. Don't let the world control your life, but be fully aware that the Creator of the universe is good and loves you. Having the knowledge of His presence is a game changer. Strive to live a quiet life, and I promise, this life will be much more of an adventure than you can imagine.
