James 4:8

Come near to God, and He will come near to you.

As we prepare for Christmas and New Year celebrations, we are often surround by a cacophony of chaotic noise and a frenzy of activity! Then when it is over and life tries to resume a regular pattern, we are left with a quiet that almost seems unnatural! Yet, quiet can be good for us. Dr. Josh Axe states,

“Brief periods of silence, ranging from 10 to 60 minutes at a time, seem to be the sweet spot when it comes to promoting better health.”

One winter, I worked at a ski lodge that had a “cut-off” trail from the slopes straight to the front door of the lodge.  On nights when the moonlight would bounce off the snow creating more light than a lantern, a few of us would hike that trail backwards up to the ski run and secretly ski the rest of the run. Then we would hike back home along the railroad track.

According to Accuweather, when snow accumulates on the ground, it acts as a sound absorber. Sound waves are trapped in tiny pockets within the snow crystals and the waves can’t bounce and make their way into our ears as sound.

Of course, we were being quiet because we didn’t want to get caught, but more so because of the exquisite sound of solitude. Despite our bodies being in motion, we were wrapped in stillness, no crunch of snow, and our exhalations silenced. All we were left with was the pounding of our hearts from within. The silence I experienced on those covert missions was unprecedented.

Rarely do we have a chance to or make time to experience such deep and utter quiet, but we should.

A seasoned teacher would tell you one of the most effective ways to silence a noisy classroom is to be silent and then speak quietly. We need not shout to be heard or fight for attention in chaos. This is no different for God. He isn’t going to shout to be heard. Since He wants to be first in your life, He isn’t going to fight for attention. 1 Kings 19:11-12 says, “Go out and stand before me on top of the mountain,” the Lord said to him. Then the Lord passed by and sent a furious wind that split the hills and shattered the rocks—but the Lord was not in the wind. The wind stopped blowing, and then there was an earthquake—but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire—but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the soft whisper of a voice.”

We need healthy quiet in our lives so we can hear His soft whisper. But will you be able to hear him over the din and clamor of your life? There is a reason that silence comes with so many health benefits. When we intentionally make time for God, we,

“Come near to God, and he will come near to you.” James 4:8.