Do you ever notice what a loud place our world is? We hear so many voices: memos at work, emails, phone messages, calls, texts, and family needs. You listen to a disturbing news story while you cook dinner. Your child needs to take 24 cupcakes to school tomorrow. Your teen needs to talk, and he needs a ride. The guy on the freeway behind you is flashing his lights and honking.
It can make your head spin and knock your soul off kilter. Pretty soon you’re doing double back flips on the inside. You feel like you’re hopelessly behind and there’s not enough of you to go around anyway.
A few minutes with your Shepherd can get you back on track.
God is the Shepherd who cares for us. He gives rest to our souls and reminds us that we lack nothing.
He leads us to a quiet place.
In the quiet place, our Shepherd speaks words of encouragement, hope and direction for the day. He pours His Spirit into us to strengthen us from the inside out. He quenches our thirst with living water and renews our minds. He melts our anxiety and heals the aches and pains of our hearts.
How about finding a few minutes of quiet today?
Turn off the television at home or the radio in the car. Put your phone away for a few minutes and come to that quiet place. Just a few minutes with God in the morning gives direction to your day. Lift your heart up to God in the afternoon, and He’ll bring a sense of calm to your soul. A few minutes at night prepares you to lay your head down on the pillow in peace.
Our Shepherd is waiting to quiet our hearts. I’m counting on Him to calm my double back flips too.
Now it’s your turn: What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to finding a quiet place?
I’m linking up with Kate Motaung’s Five Minute Friday. Writers all around the world join in a flash mob of free writing. This week’s prompt is “Quiet.” Join us over at Kate’s place for fun and encouragement. Also joining with Arabah Joy’s Grace & Truth, Susan B. Mead’s Dance with Jesus, and Deb Wolf’s Faith ‘N Friends.
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Thank you for sharing this! The biggest challenge to finding a quiet place for me is that I seem to be the only one in my family who craves that time! Being still is now a skill we need to cultivate, and I can do so fine on my own, but bringing others along is a loooong process.
Oh I know what you mean about being still being a skill to cultivate. Good insight, Kirstin. Hard when no one else in your family wants to cultivate it! 🙂
Betsy, I love Psalm 23. I’ve also found He forces us to be quiet sometimes (when we become hard of hearing), just so that He can lead us back to the quiet waters.
I’ve been reflecting on the need for quiet in my heart during the day, slowing to receive, so that I have something to give, rather than striving ahead in my own strength and pride. That’s one of my biggest challenges.
Yes, Anna. I love Psalm 23 too. I go back to it again and again. We need quiet, don’t we?
The world really is a loud place. Finding those moments of quiet with God is such a treasure. What a good reminder.
Thanks for stopping by Amy. I hope you find some quiet!
Our world really is so loud. Yes comfort when we turn to our Lord. I’m going to find some moments of silence this weekend. Visiting from FMF where I’m in the #7 spot.
I hope you find those moments of silence, Tara.
Oh yes, my soul needs quiet. My oldest finally returned to school today so the house has been a little more quiet. 😉 Always blessed by your words, friend. xoxo
Glad you’re getting a bit of what you need with your oldest back in school
Betsy, our nest is empty and I had 27 years of “unquiet” days! So, that makes my quiet even sweeter! BUT, at times, it is TOO QUIET. Enjoy your days – the quiet does come!!!!
Yes, Susan. I’m sure you find it too quiet. I’m in the middle. One newly gone for college and one still at home.
Betsy,
Yesterday, I accidentally left my phone on silent and it wasn’t near me. I have to say it was so peaceful not having messages and texts pinging in to interrupt my quiet concentration. Today’s technology is a blessing, but it’s also a curse. The older I get, the more I like the sound of just quiet…
Blessings,
Bev
Oh how lovely to leave your phone on silent! I think our cell phones are one of the noisiest things we have!
I may just be my own worst enemy in finding quiet! I love the challenge of writing and reading — both of which require a degree of quiet, but when it comes down to over-commitment and deadlines . . . hard to maintain a quiet spirit!
Yes, you’re so right, Michele! That quiet spirit is hard to maintain. And social media that goes with writing these days can be LOUD!
Wonderful post, Betsy. My soul craves “quiet” or maybe it is just “stillness”. Not sure. I love my quiet time in the morning which prepares for the day ahead. And then I love the stillness of the night. When the door shuts behind all the activity of the day and I can be still. Perhaps the two are the bookends which keep me centered in Him each day 🙂 Blessings!
Quiet and stillness to tend to go together, or at least we think of them that way. I love your “bookends” idea. You could write a post on that!
I’m actually sharing a message tomorrow about this very scripture. Thanks for these words!
I hope your message went well, Rachel. I’d love to hear about it.
Thank you! It went well!
Glad to hear it!
Encouraging words, Betsy. The quiet and stillness with Jesus is a must for me. So glad we can encourage each other to make that a priority. Bless you, friend!
Blessings to you too, Julie. I’m sure quiet is harder to come by as you start your new job.
Hi Betsy! I find that I am the biggest block to quiet. Even when I put aside time to just be still, my mind is racing! It takes a while just to calm down all the thoughts.
It’s really important to keep trying though, so I do. Who doesn’t need hope and direction for the day? To live my life with Him, I have to submit my life to Him. No matter how busy and noisy it is.
Wishing you quiet today,
Ceil
I hear you, Ceil. Our own thoughts do keep us on the go and stress us out, don’t they? Blessings to you. Hope you find some quiet as well.
Betsy, great post. My biggest challenge to finding quiet spaces in my days is an over-busy schedule God’s been speaking to me about that, and I’m working to make changes. Man, it’s hard though. Some weeks—some seasons— are just full of commitments. I appreciate your suggestions for making quiet a part of my days. Great post!
Jeanne, I know just what you mean about an over-busy schedule. It IS hard! I need to always be working on this too, or at least be aware…
Maybe my problem is that when I have a quiet time, I don’t always make it a quiet date with God – and that’s when chaos comes sweeping in undoing the quiet I thought I had. Good thoughts here Betsy that I need to think over and make readjustments!
Blessings to you, friend. We probably need quiet in all flavors, but moments with God are the best! Hope you find time for some. Chaos tends to happen when moms try to get some quiet!
Coming off a social media break I realize now how much time I was giving the world and how little to God. It was refreshing to step back and realign my priorities. I hope you find many quiet moments away with God! It’s time well spent :).
Thanks, Alecia. I admire you for taking that social media break. I’m sure you learned so much.
Thank you for this much-needed encouragement for Christians, Betsy. Your voice is such an important one, and we’re grateful that you share it with us at Grace & Truth!
Thanks so much for your encouragement, Jennifer. And thanks for hosting Grace & Truth. I appreciate you.
This is wonderful encouragement Betsy!
I carve out time daily to be with the Lord. First thing in the morning, a bit in the afternoon, and then before bed. I find this keeps me grounded and upward focused on God, rather than inward focused on my worries and struggles.
Thanks for sharing.
xoxo
I am reminded again of little moments. It is taking small moments and using them for being quieted by the Shepherd. Sometimes I don’t take the time because I don’t have a larger block of time, like today. But I will choose to buy up little moments to breathe in more of the Shephard and his calming, quieting voice.
In a home with grown children, you would think that finding some quiet and alone time would not be difficult, but that is not the case for me. I work outside the home and my husband is at home. When I come home it is filled with two rambunctious dogs and my wonderful husband. That is good, but it doesn’t allow quiet time. It took me awhile, but I finally determined that my only opportunity for quiet time would be for me to get up early; early enough that the dogs don’t try to get up with me. It has worked for over 6 months now, at least most days. I love having an hour or more each morning to spend time with the Lord and then to start my day quietly rather than at a fast pace. I’ve raised three children, now it’s time for some quiet time.
Thanks for sharing your comments. I enjoyed reading them.
I always try to sit down and do my devotions in the morning as soon as I wake up…getting a cup of coffee and sitting at my dining room table. The only problem is I can look out the window there, and often find myself stopping to look out. I’m so bad about rushing my quiet time to hurry up and start the day’s obligations – and that’s totally no good either. That’s my biggest challenge I guess.
Thanks for the encouragement, Betsy.
Lynette
~#117 this wk on linkup