Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Space of Silence


I love the early morning hours, especially before dawn.  Before you reject the idea that there is something to love about the first hours of the day, let me give you my side of the story with the assurance that sleeping to the last possible moment has great merit in my life.  But.  In the darkness of the early hours of the day, there is a period of silence when the world seems to shut down for a small amount of time, as if there is a pause in activity.  And, it is in those moments that there is a sense of renewal and a new beginning as the world waits for the light to break into the darkness.

Silence, is a rare thing in our existence. Silence is uncomfortable for most of us; the world is so noisy that silence makes us feel like something is wrong.  We often want, desperately want, to fill in the spaces of silence.  Even so. There are times we are desperate enough for something in our life to change and to experience something new that we know we need to become silent, shutting out the noise of problems, pressures, and people.
It is in those times . . . the times of waiting for something different to happen, hoping that God will deliver us and will bring something new into our life, releasing us from what is . . .  to what could be  . . . that we create space for silence because we recognize our need. 
It is in the silent times that I have learned to listen to God.  Silence removes me from the noise of the world, freeing me to be more aware of the presence of God. Silence, no matter how uncomfortable it makes me, brings me to a deeper place with God. Silence is a gift to be experienced.

Consider.
Be still and know God (Psalm 46:10).
Silence gives us the space to be still and know God.  It is possible for us, especially in the time we live in, to be so immersed in the stuff of life that we miss the gift of silence.  When I have been exhausted,  unable to imagine how I can possibly begin another day, I have learned the silence in the early morning hours allows me to become still and know God.  And, there is something in that space of the day that connects me to Christ, knowing after a busy day, that He got up early in the morning, while it was still dark, and went to a place to pray (see Mark 1:35).
Create space for silence. Be still and know God.  Receive the gift of renewal and new beginnings.   Experience the light breaking into the darkness.  Live in the newness Christ brings you in the space of silence.
Learning to Kickstart the day with space for silence,
Kerrie

(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)