The Quiet Places We Keep Forgetting

Some places shape us.

Some are beautiful sanctuaries.

Some are crowded so-called retreats.

Some are mission fields far from home. (Life Changing)

But some of the most important places are simply ordinary.

An old chair.

A front porch before sunrise, or a little after.

A kitchen table with an open Bible.

A country road where no one else is around.

I’ve noticed something over the years.

The moments that changed me most didn’t happen when life was loud.

They happened when life became quiet enough for me to pay attention.

We live in a world that constantly asks for our attention. (The ADHD Generation)

Our phones buzz, ding, and even sing.

Our calendars fill.

Our minds race from one responsibility to another.

Even good things can slowly crowd out the One who matters most. (Jesus)

Sometimes we tell ourselves that we’ll spend time with God when life slows or settles down.

But life never settles down on its own.

We have to choose the quiet.

Not because silence has some special superpower, but because it helps us hear what has been there all along.

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray.

Not because He was trying to escape people, but because He wanted to remain close to His Father.

If the Son of God needed quiet places, perhaps we do too.

This week, don’t try to overhaul your entire schedule.

Choose one small moment.

Leave your phone inside.

Take your Bible.

Sit somewhere still.

Read slowly. (1-2 chapters repetitively through the week) (A Gospel)

Pray honestly.

Listen carefully.

You may discover that God wasn’t absent.

You were just moving too fast to notice.

J.I. Packer said, “Live slowly enough to think deeply about God!

I say, “Live slowly enough to hear God clearly.”

There is something I’ve been working on for many months that grows out of this very idea. I’ll share more about it in the coming weeks. For now, I hope this simple challenge helps you rediscover the joy of meeting with God in the quiet.

Question for you:

Where is your quiet place?