Silence the Noise
Listen. Do you hear it? Of course, you hear it. Noise, noise and more noise! The noise around us is deafening. And yet, the noise within us could be an even bigger problem. If you don’t believe me, try this little experiment. Try sitting in complete silence for five minutes. Find somewhere you can shut out the outside world, removing anything that might be a distraction to you during this five minute period. Simple, right? I have tried this experiment several times and each time I have been unsuccessful. Why? The external and internal noise is deafening.
Jesus himself dealt with noise, both external and internal. He was surrounded with the noise of the cheering and jeering crowds. He was surrounded with the noise of the condemning religious leaders. He was tempted for forty days with the noise of the Devil. He was surrounded with the noise of his sometimes faithless and confrontational disciples. He was even overwhelmed with the noise of the internal anguish knowing he was about the suffer on the cross at Calvary.
As I contemplated the external and internal noise my Savior and Lord endured, I was reminded by the Spirit the many times Jesus simply removed himself from the noise and got alone with the Father. Scripture records multiple occasions where Jesus removed himself from the noise, going alone to desolate places to commune with his heavenly Father. One such occasion occurs early in his ministry:
Mark’s gospel records this, “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” [1:35]
Jesus left the noise behind. And as he prayed, his intimacy with the Father silenced the noise within. His alone-time with the Father provided Jesus with the spiritual sustenance and spiritual sensitivity he needed to be completely obedient.
Our lives and ministries are full of various external and internal noise. We must not allow the noise around us and in us to deafen us to the working of the Spirit in our lives. Silence the noise. Emulate Jesus; depart to a desolate place, get alone with the Father, and pray.
Father, silence the noise in my life. Let me hear you fully and completely so that I can be obedient.
Silence the noise!
In Christ,
