In a society dominated by noise and activity, I believe there is no real spiritual growth without learning the secrets of quietness and trust.
Ultimately the words that God speaks are of far more value than our words. Our part has to be to quieten our hearts so that we can hear God speak. Like Job, we do well to put our hands over our mouths (Job 40:4), to ‘hide my eyes with my face to the ground in the presence of Your majesty.’ (‘God Almighty’, Chris Tomlin) When we truly learn that in repentance and rest is our salvation and in quietness and trust is our strength, then we are equipped to face every storm life may bring our way. Don’t run away from quietness and from trust. Don’t run away from taking time out deliberately and determinedly to be with God.
Lamentations 3 in the Message version says:
God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left.
25-27 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
It’s a good thing when you’re young
to stick it out through the hard times.
28-30 When life is heavy and hard to take,
go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:
Wait for hope to appear.
Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.
The “worst” is never the worst.
31-33 Why? Because the Master won’t ever
walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. (Lam 3:22-33)
Quietness enables us to passionately wait for God and to diligently seek Him, confident that hope will appear because the Lord will never abandon us.