Practicing the Skill of Silence by Michelle Bauer

Today I want to share a Psalm with you that I find especially encouraging when things are tough – Psalm 46. I’m sure many of you have heard it before. As we consider the value of silence, consider its words:

“God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.“

Let’s stop here with a fill-in-the-blank. 

Therefore we will not fear, though____________________________________.

Though…hundreds of thousands of people are sick from Coronavirus.

Though…the economic ripples of the virus will effect us in ways we can’t predict.

Though…our routines have been interrupted and we don’t know when we will see “normal” again.

And why shouldn’t we fear these things?

The middle of the chapter reminds us: “The Lord Almighty is with us.”

Sometimes I hear this verse and forget that the Psalmist is saying that the Lord Almighty is with me. God is with you right now. He is not standing far off while you face uncertainty, while you suffer. God is with you.

At the end of the chapter we read, “Be still and know that I am God.”

God is with us and we are invited to be still in his presence.

In moments of crisis we tend to pray more. That’s good, but we need to remember to listen as well. We need to take time in silence to let God respond to us. God wants to speak to us. Are we giving God the opportunity?

God also wants us to be still in his presence so that God can comfort us. Let God still your heart.

My encouragement to you today is to spend a few moments each day – or maybe even a couple of times a day – in silence, without screens, being still. It’s okay if you start with a very short amount of time. To begin, set your timer for just two minutes. Every couple of days, add 30 seconds or a minute.

Being silent is a skill we can develop. It’s okay to refocus when your mind wanders. Every time we choose to turn our focus to God, we are worshiping.