“Just be quiet!
Please.”
It would deter so many heartaches. 
Like the argument Jenna and I had yesterday about her driving. Where should she place her hands on the steering wheel? Not where I put mine when I drive.
And, no thank you, you don’t have to remind me of that either. When you’ve been driving for 30 years, you can sometimes put your hands at the bottom of the steering wheel, too, if you want to.
But today, at 15, no.
We go on and on.
Words, words, words.
They buy us nothing but a deeper debt to each other.
“Just be quiet!
Please.”
Oh. Not her?
Me?
You want me to be quiet? Please?
Yes, Sir. I understand now.
And I’m sorry.
Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds,
and be silent.
Psalm 4:4
Before I can learn from silence, I have to find it.
At the moment, it’s not here. What is here are rowdy words and blusterous attitudes and shrill selfishness. Not silence.
So I must go deeper to find it. Beyond the noise...into my heart...on my bed. In the Lord.
Without the noise.
But many times (most times?), even in the noise.
It’s a place of the soul, this silence in noise. It is independent of the vibration of sound. It is a helplessness on my part, and a total surrender to his part.
It is being quiet. Pleasingly quiet. Regardless of words swirling around me.
I’ve had enough of my own voice. I want to hear more of his.
He says, “Be still and know.”
I still.
I know.
In silence.
* * *
To see what others are learning from silence, visit Ann and friends.
8 comments:
Oh my! I also have a 15 year old driver and the Lord has reminded me to "be quiet". At the moment it does not seem pleasant to hear, I want MY words heard! But God in His infinite wisdom knows what is best and I am learning to listen and hopefully(!), obey quickly. "Pleasingly quiet" is beautifully put. Thank you for sharing a beautiful and encouraging post today!
Oh, yes. That soul-silence, even in the noise.
And lately I've been so disappointed in the way I speak to my children. NOT the most loving tone of voice.
God help me!
Oh does that ever ring true...
(Great verse, too.)
Great post and reminder to be quiet. How is your daughter driving? Does she scare you or is she pretty good?
Wow - awesome words! My hubby and I were just having a discussion a little bit ago of just BEING in the presence of God - acknowledging and knowing that He is ALWAYS with us. Finding silence and solitude with Him in the midst of so much noise...I think that could relate to being IN Him, acknowledging His presence in that moment and knowing He is right there with us. All the time. So despite the noise around us, we can be still in our minds....be still in our words....be still and acknowledge Him....be still and know that HE is God and He's right there with us in that very moment.
My daughter's driving is fairly good for her limited experience. ;-) She has scared me a few times getting too close to mailboxes as she tries to avoid getting too close to cars on the other side of the road. There's so much to learn; you forget how much you take for granted until you're riding with someone that doesn't know those things.
So I have to use great restraint in saying the things that NEED to be said, but then quieting down after that. Not an easy task...
I think I need to memorize Psalm 4:4. I needed it yesterday in a totally different context from yours, Lisa.
The ability to be quiet is such a grace ~ my grand tells me I especially will need this gift as a MIL, so I am striving now to be still in the silence before His presence.
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