My Paisley Chair

After 22 days of no air conditioning, I am sorry to say I was well beyond “cranky” – and David said AMEN! Texas summer with 95+ degree heat and 85% humidity is brutal without A/C. Anyone that knows me can testify that I’m a gal that really enjoys creature comforts. I could feel my last raw nerve sweating. We had every fan we own running, our outside air mover was inside, and a window unit ran constantly in the bedroom just to manage the heat. I was ever so grateful when the AC repair guy showed up!

After way too many restless nights we finally slept comfortably and were so grateful for the rest. The next morning our first conversation went like this:
Me: Hey Babe … listen.
DHH: What? What is it?
Me: Long Pause & Deep Sigh ….. it’s quiet!

And just like that … Peace was restored at the Hunt House! After weeks of constant noise, my house was not only cool, but quiet! I had not realized that the constant noise was just as unsettling as the heat. Just like some people think A/C is a luxury (and it’s NOT) other people may be tempted to think quietness is a luxury (and it’s NOT). BOTH are necessities. As I sat in silence I became aware – my soul was raw. Constant noise is like fingernails on the chalkboard of my soul.

The Quiet Game rarely works at the Hunt house. When the kids were little there was no prize or incentive worth winning to offset the urgency of sound. Whether it be talking, humming, whistling, tapping a foot or drumming the car seat behind my head – sound filled the atmosphere constantly. More than a few times I remember telling the kids “Mommy’s ears are full right now. I really, really want to hear what you have to say and to listen to every word, but there just isn’t any room in my ears right now.” I still have times when I am completely sound saturated and in desperate need of silence.

It is no wonder the enemy of our soul provides adequate opportunity for us to avoid quietness. With amplified noise, accelerated speed and easy access to everything digital … sound pollution is staggering. In fact, it takes a conscious and diligent effort to create a space for quietness, much less silence. Even when all the electronic devices are shut down, music is turned off, children quit talking, inevitably the ice maker will dump a load of ice, the dryer will buzz, email notification … this list is endless … and each one of them can shatter the silence.

There are studies indicating constant sound can trigger anxiety and stress. “With continued exposure to noise pollution, a person’s sensitivity to stress increases, making people irritable, on edge, frustrated or angry.” Funny that I don’t recall any researchers being at my house, and yet I could have easily been a case study for this conclusion. Can I get an “Amen!”?

And it’s not just the external noise that has to be dealt with. There have been times in my life where the internal noise would have rivaled the whirling fans and hum of machines while the AC was out. Capturing thoughts per 2 Cor 10:5 remains a constant challenge for me. Thought gremlins are so difficult to cage and often exceptionally resistant to the obedience of Christ. Anybody else?

After the AC outage, we still needed to recalibrate the thermostat. Have you ever considered that you may have become so accustomed to noise that you need to recalibrate your soul with quietness, solitude, silence and rest to rediscover stillness? A precious Psalm (131:2) states “I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child, is my soul within me”. It would appear that some aspect of cultivating quietness is my responsibility. It is to my advantage and best interest to create spaces for silence and solitude to allow my soul to recalibrate and reconnect with the voice of the Spirit. Recalibration of heart, soul, and mind to get back in sync with the Holy Spirit takes directed attention to some details, and doesn’t necessarily come naturally for me.

It is no wonder that throughout church history the disciplines of solitude and silence are on the short list. So … IF silence is the atmosphere where hearing is most acute and whispers easy to hear, how can I find the space and stillness that soothes my soul and attracts the Presence of God? It takes concentrated effort! Scripture encourages us to “be still and know that I am God”, in the stillness of the night Samuel prayed “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening”, and after Mary’s encounter with Gabriel her prayer was “Be it unto me according to Your word”.

God is always speaking.
• Can I learn to filter the noise?
• Can I learn to be quiet and listen?
• Can I rest in silence?

My Mama taught me a most valuable lesson when I was just starting to date and I can’t help but wonder if it is applicable right here. Find the one you are comfortable with when there is silence. She would ask “how did you feel when there was a lull in the conversation?” and “did you feel compelled to fill up the silence with the sound of your own voice?”

I hope you will be encouraged to find some space for peace and quiet, that your soul will be at rest in the Presence of the Lord. May you find this scripture to be your song, “Oh My Dove, that art in the cleft of the rock, in the secret places of the stare. Let me see Thy countenance, let me hear Thy voice, for sweet is Thy voice.” Song of Songs 2:14