Being quiet and still is hard. But also necessary. We hear God in the quiet stillness of our hearts and souls. It is a special place, one that cannot be found by accident, but with intentional planning. Once you find this place, you will want to go back time and time again.

Solitude and silence is one of the more difficult spiritual disciplines, but possibly one of the most important as well. Our lives are often full and busy with hectic schedules filled with work, ball games, swim practice, etc. Our phones are always with us and usually on, making us always available  and open to distractions. Throw in church, church activities and family time and there just isn’t much time left for solitude and silence. If we happen to find a quiet moment or two our minds wander to stuff we should be doing and planning the next thing. Often this is when worry and anxiety sneak in and occupy our minds and hearts with gunk.

Much of this past week I found myself in a bad mood, overly impatient, irritable and angry. Maybe you have found yourself in situations like this as well. While it’s hard to explain, I was fully aware of my poor attitude but there was nothing I could do to change it or stop it. It was almost like I was watching an accident happen. I could see what was getting ready to occur, but I was stuck and unable to make any move to prevent it. Early Saturday morning when it became clear I was done sleeping I got up, made myself a cup of coffee and decided to have some quiet time with God. That is pretty much when it hit me, or when He convicted me. It had been months since I had made time for solitude and silence. Sure I had carved out a few moments here and there, and I had been having a daily quiet time where I read God’s word and prayed. But silence and solitude is something different, something more, something deeper.

Finding this place is not always easy. It’s hard to shut our minds off and all distractions out. We have to work at it and find a way to fully and completely connect with God and just be present with Him. It’s a time not filled with us talking to Him, but listening and just being. The way to this place will be different for everyone. Part of the learning process is figuring out what the things are that connect us in a special way to our Father. For me, there are a couple of things that seem to get me to this place. One is nature. Being out in God’s creation, listening to the sounds, feeling the breeze, looking at the beauty. The other one is music. So I plugged in my headphones, started my playlist of praise and worship music and just listened as I sipped on my coffee. I realize that music doesn’t speak to everyone, but for me there are times when it washes over my soul, sinking down into the deep places where so much hidden hurt and pain exist. This was one of those times. Here are just a few of the songs and lyrics that flooded my soul:

What a Beautiful Name by Hillsong – “My sin was great, but Your love is greater”, “You have no rival, You have no equal”, “Nothing can stand against”

Revelation Song by Passion – “Filled with awestruck wonder at the mention of Your name and Holy, Holy, Holy, who was and is and is to come.”

Sinking Deep by Hillsong– “Jesus Christ, You are my one desire. Lord hear my only cry to know you all my life”, “I breathe you in and lean into Your love”

Broken Vessels by Hillsong– “All these pieces broken and scattered. In mercy gathered mended and whole, empty-handed but not forsaken. I’ve been set free, I’ve been set free”

These songs remind me who God is, as well as who I am in Christ. My hope is that you will make time this week, schedule it in and spend some time in silence and solitude-just you and God. Ask God to meet you and speak to you during this time and then allow the Holy Spirit to guide you to that secret place, into the presence of our God and Father. Find that thing that draws you near like no other, whether it’s music, fishing, walking in the woods, whatever it is make time for it this week. You won’t regret it.