A QUIET SOUL by Steve May

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, said, “True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment.”

Practicing silence effectively requires … well… practice. It takes effort on your part.

In his book Noise Reduction Leonard Koren writes, “Like an unbroken horse or a spoiled child, your mind will resist any attempts to discipline it.”

We are addicted to noise. All day we are besieged with sound, from the time we wake up to the sound of the alarm until we drop off to sleep at night, often with the TV in the background to “keep us company.”

I encourage you to try a few moments of silence each day.

Beginning today.

Just a few minutes with no music, no radio, no TV, no conversation.

Just a few moments of absolute quiet in the presence of God.

These moments will be like nourishment to your soul.

But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. (Psalm 131:2)

From Pastor Jeff….

I try to begin my day with 20 minutes of silence. There are various apps you can get on your phone or sometimes I simply use the timer. I use a sacred word to calm and center me. When my mind begins to wander, I go back to the sacred word until I feel calm and centered again. This practice is called “Centering Prayer.” I love this form of prayer because it is designed to create a space where God can speak. God is gentle. God is not in any way forceful. God will respect our will and will go where welcomed and invited. Ideally, I do this two times a day but rarely does my schedule allow for that so I have to begin my day this way or I am not as centered in Christ. One of my favorite Scriptures that I recite during this time, especially when I can’t get my mind to slow down is, Psalm 46, “Be still and know that I am God.”

Blessings as you practice this form of prayer!

Blessings!

Pastor Jeff