Ask a group of young adults to name three of their life goals, and many of them will mention: success in their careers, loving families, and good friends.
Few if any will say, “to lead a quiet life.”
Yet God inspired Paul to write:
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life.”
–1 Thessalonians 4:11a
(emphasis added)
First, I suppose we ought to establish what a quiet life might include—qualities such as:
- Composure
- Humility
- Kindness
- Gentleness
- Peacefulness
Equally valuable? An understanding of what the quiet life would not include:
- Boasting
- Being easily-ruffled or offended
- Whining and Complaining
- Bossiness
- Being argumentative
It’s easy to see: those who lead calm, kind, gentle lives are the ones we like to be around. The second group of boasters, whiners, and arguers–not so much.
But there are many more benefits to the quiet life than offering pleasant company for others, honorable as that is. Consider the following:
A quiet life produces inner strength.
“Strength is found not in busyness and noise but in quietness.
For a lake to reflect the heavens on its surface, it must be calm.”
–L. B. Cowman (1)
Have you noticed that those with great inner strength and tranquility are most often grounded in faith?
(Grandma Rachel, circa 1910)
My grandmother(2) was just such a person. Her strength through tragedy and challenge came from calm confidence in God and complete dependence upon him (Isaiah 30:15). As a result, serenity and peace radiated from her life.
She was a 1 Corinthians 13 sort of woman—quietly patient, loving, and kind–not boastful, proud, or easily-angered. I never heard her raise her voice, gossip, or complain. And she consistently thought of others before herself.
Those qualities of the quiet life Grandma exhibited, still radiate in my heart today.
And that leads us to the next benefit:
A quiet life provides resounding impact.
Sunbeams silently rest on plant and tree, generating photosynthesis and growth. Dewdrops silently form in the night, refreshing the ground. Gravity silently presses all matter to the earth.
Similarly, a life of tranquility provides a quiet, positive influence on others through calm demeanor and gentle speech.
Limited speech is also impactful. We’d never think to apply the adjective quiet to a nonstop talker, would we? Thinking-before-speaking includes this advice:
“Don’t speak unless you can improve on the silence.”
–Spanish Proverb
Columnist Robert Brault seeks to accomplish that feat this way:
“I like to think of myself as a finely aged wine,
and one thing that keeps a wine finely aged
is to put a cork in it” (3).
A quiet life wins respect (1 Thessalonians 4:11a, 12a).
Tirades and obnoxious behavior may garner rapt attention, but composure and self-restraint earn high regard.
We’d do well to remember:
“The only way to demonstrate
that Christianity is the best of all faiths
is to prove that it produces
the best of all men [and women].”
–William Barclay (4).
A quiet life is blessing.
1) Composure and contentment result as we grow in tranquility—highly desirable qualities in this world of unrest, discontent, and anger.
2) A quiet life also steers us toward the blessing of maturity, where trivial annoyances no longer infuriate, giving is more fun than receiving, and building up someone else is more satisfying then bragging about ourselves.
https://quotefancy.com/quote/1557578/
3) The best blessing of all for humble, gentle, and peaceable individuals? The commendation of God himself (Matthew 5:3-9).
“How slow many are to learn
that quietness is a blessing,
that quietness is strength,
that quietness is the source
of the highest activity—
the secret of all true abiding in Christ!
Let us try to learn it
and watch for whatever interferes with it.
The dangers that threaten the soul’s rest are many.”
–Andrew Murray (1828-1917)
“Abide in me and I will abide in you” (John 15:4 ISV).
Notes:
- Streams in the Desert, p. 450
- I’ve written about her before: https://nancyaruegg.com/2013/02/18/1106/
- http://www.quotegarden.com/speaking.html
- The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, p. 234.
Photo credits: http://www.pxfuel.com; http://www.pexels.com; http://www.pxfuel.com; Nancy Ruegg; http://www.pixabay.com; http://www.canva.com; http://www.quotefancy.com; http://www.pixabay.com.
From the Inside Out 
Hi Nancy,
Great enriching sensory details. The sunlight being absorbed into the plant, thus photosynthesis. Our lives are meant to take in the Lord and it can’t help but enrich the others lives around us, even in the hardest soil.
In Christ,
Gary
Thank you for that insight, Gary. Sometimes it seems the hardest soil will never allow the seed of faith to germinate. But you are right: as Christ followers, we DO enrich the lives of those around us–whether we see the evidence or not!
Thank you Nancy. Just what I needed today. You are a blessing.
Praise God for his inspiration that produced this post for this day–for you!
Nancy, this is truly a wonderful message for a Friday morning as one week ends and we prepare for the next. It gives one pause to stop and look around and see all the beauty with which God has surrounded us. Beauty that can really only be absorbed in calm, quietness and peace. Thank you. Love and blessings to you and Steve.
Another good reason to embrace the quiet life! Thank you, Ruth.
first of all, your grandmother was beautiful – like you. This is a great verse to ponder and explore which you did so well. I love all the nuances you filled in as you explored this trait. would make a great article!!
Thank you, Jean, for your kind comments. You are a wonderful encourager! (I wonder who’d be interested in such an article as this?!)
I had to print this out, Nancy. God used it to speak straight to my heart! How grateful I am for you being obedient and writing it. After I hit the like button yesterday, I had this comment section up several times … each time intent on letting you know how much it’s been a blessing … but I was continually interrupted by a not-so-quiet life 😦 Thanks again, friend
Those pesky interruptions! 🙂 Praise God you found this post meaningful, Heidi. You know how such a response warms a writer’s heart!
Love this, Nancy! This is what my heart yearns for!! And I love how you bring out all the marvelous fruits of a quiet life. May God grant the grace to always pursue such a life!
Thank you, Sheila, and AMEN! Your own blog posts give indication that you DO experience the quiet life. Even as turmoil has churned the waters of tranquility, down deep your faith kept you strong and steady.
Praise be to God. He is always able to keep us to the uttermost. Thank you dear Nancy for all your encouragement!!
You are more than welcome, my friend!
Nancy, I love this. I’m working on a post about a book I recently read that pushed setting BIG goals and shooting for BIG, BIG dreams…and all I could think was, ‘Aren’t we supposed to aspire to a quiet life?’ This post is wonderful in describing what that looks like. If I ever get the post finished, I’ll be linking to this one!
Aw, thank you, Rebeca! Some folks DO seem destined to dream BIG and accomplish the impossible. Ben Carson comes to mind, who decided when he was eight years old (I think) that he’d like to become a doctor. But God has also helped him develop a quiet life of those five qualities mentioned at the beginning of the post. I suppose some might push and shout their way to their dreams; but it doesn’t have to be that way.
How beautiful your grandmother was! And this post is beautiful as well. It gave me a sense of peace and made me think of Psalm 46:10 (‘Be still and know that I am God.’). A quiet mind is more open to the voice of the Holy Spirit. A busy mind interferes with God’s leading. Thank you for this wonderful reminder.
Thank you, Cheri. Psalm 46:10 does have a quieting effect, doesn’t it. Just reminding ourselves of who God is and what he does calms our souls. And your observation of the quiet mind being more open to the Spirit is another good reason to pursue inner tranquility. Thank you for that too.
For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,Is. 30:15
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!” Ps. 46:10
These are lessons of the heart I am still learning, so I truly appreciate the reminder. How easy it is to become anxious, impatient, and allow my need control to trump my need to trust!
I have truly been blessed by discovering your blog. Thank you for posting!
I’m still learning these lessons too. Just recently I had business downtown which necessitated me driving through hectic traffic, navigating one way streets, finding parking, figuring out the garage parking validation ticket machines (they’re all different!), finding my way to the courthouse and then to the room where I needed to be. To be honest, I WAS anxious about the whole thing (though thankfully I slept well the night before). Praying through the whole process certainly helped, and praise God I arrived at the designated room–10 minutes early! I DO exalt God for his attentive care. / And praise God you are finding blessing here, Rebecca!