Enter a deep woods this time of year and experience an intensity of quiet that most of us rarely encounter. No traffic din or sirens, no lawn mowers or leaf blowers, even birdsong is only intermittent, since most of our feathered friends have headed south.
Stand still or sit on a rock for a spell and absorb the soft quiet that hovers in the trees [1].
Research has proven that quiet solitude provides benefits, including improved mental clarity, reduced stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and enhanced creativity [2].
For Jesus followers, there are even more benefits with profound effect.
Andrew Murray (1828-1917), a South African pastor, teacher, and author stated:
Of course, he wasn’t talking about a walk in the woods—valuable as that is. Murray wanted his readers to know that blessing, strength, and great gain result from quiet solitude with God, as we spend time with him in worship, meditation on his Word, prayer, and listening.
But Murray only summarized the results of stillness before God. Others have added more specificity, including the benefits listed below.
QUIETNESS IS . . .
. . . REVITALIZATION
As dew refreshes grass and flowers during the stillness of the night, so God’s presence revitalizes us as we sit quietly with him [3].
. . . TRUST IN GOD
As we rest in God’s Presence, focusing on him, he quietly builds bonds of trust between us and him [4].
. . . TRANSFORMATION
Stillness transforms heart and mind [5].
. . . PEACE
Resting in God’s presence is the best way to receive his gift of peace [6].
. . . SPIRITUAL GROWTH
“In order to grow in grace, we must spend a great deal of time in quiet solitude” [7].
. . . STRENGTH
“In quietness and trust we collect God’s strength” [8].
. . . TRUTH
“It is in quiet solitude that we catch the deep and mysterious truths that flow from the soul of the things God allows to enter our lives” [9].
. . . INTIMACY WITH GOD
“We cannot realize true intimacy with God until we learn to come before him in quietness of spirit, mind, and body” [10].
. . . PLEASURE
The practice of creating quiet is not meant to be a constrictive discipline; it’s meant to be a restful pleasure as we enjoy the glorious presence of our Heavenly Father [11].
No wonder God inspired a psalmist to write: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10). The benefits are many and far-reaching—down into our own spirits and outward into the lives of others, as these delights impact our responses and reactions.
In fact:
Let’s choose to sit for a spell by the Rock of our salvation, and absorb in our spirit the soft quiet that hovers in the heavenlies around us (Ephesians 1:3).
* * * * * * * * * *
Now it’s your turn! How do you make time for quiet? How has stillness before God impacted your life? Have you found ways to quiet the inner noise that interferes with focusing on God?
Please share in the comment section below!
[1] The last eight words based on a line from Sara Teasdale’s poem, “Silence.”
[2] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-the-wild-things-are/202501/the-benefits-of-quiet-solitude
[3] Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, 258.
[4] Young, 119.
[5] Young, 161.
[6] Young, 267.
[7] L. B. Cowman, Streams in the Desert, Jim Reimann, ed., 372.
[8] F. Elaine Olsen, Beyond the Scars, 105.
[9] L. B. Cowman, Streams in the Desert, 406.
[10] Linda Dillow, Satisfy the Thirsty Soul, 49.
[11] An impression I recorded one morning not long ago.
Image credits: http://www.pxhere.com; http://www.canva.com (4).
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