You know how our favorite sounds like laughter or a musical instrument can bring us happiness, calm, even a sense of love and peace? Research has even shown that listening to running water can help lower stress for some people. Or perhaps, like the sounds of a stadium after a touchdown or a concert with thousands of voices singing along, they excite us and make us feel a part of something larger than ourselves.
Think for a moment about your favorite sounds.
Now, what comes to mind when you read the word “noise.” How is it different from your favorite sounds? I think of the roaring car that likes to drive back and forth by our neighborhood multiple times at night, the engine backfiring loudly several times on what I can assume is a joy ride for the driver. Or I think of being overstimulated when the dog is whining while my boys are talking over one another to try to get my attention and my brain can’t handle all of it at once.
I’ve been practicing a daily office a few times a week lately – an ancient church practice of praying to mark certain times of the day – and the one I’m following begins and ends with two minutes of silence. It has been hard to shut out the noise and clear my mind before the Lord for just two minutes.
Which made me think that perhaps this Lenten season (which starts next week on Valentine’s Day this year) I could incorporate some habits to help silence the noise in my life to be able to hear the better things. While I can’t make my dog and children be quieter, as I quiet other self-imposed noise in my life and invite the Spirit to guide me, perhaps the noises I can’t control won’t be as overwhelming. As Romans 8:16 offers, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” And 1 Kings 19 speaks of God’s gentle whisper that could be heard in the stillness after wind, earthquake, and fire.
So, what is the noise – literal or not – that is crowding out our awareness of the Spirit and shortening our fuses?
Social media? Television shows? Gossip among friends? Consuming too much news or reading too many thought leaders without stopping to process it?
Consider how scripture exhorts us to not fill our minds with that noise:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. – Philippians 4:8
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2
But maybe the noise is coming from within, which I realize sounds like the old trope “the call is coming from inside the house.” In all seriousness, my mind is full of noise and if I am not actively combatting the lies I tell myself, I start to believe them. Spiritual warfare is not something to dismiss; it is a battle worth fighting.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:12
In our noisy world, perhaps we could use a little silence. Perhaps Lent is a good time to create some new habits of silence by distancing myself from doom scrolling or limiting easy entertaining things and instead making more room for time with the Lord. I’m going to give it a try.
Image by Pixabay.
ABOUT OUR BLOGGER
Originally from Georgia, Mary Beth Gombita is a lover of sweet tea, a proud Georgia Bulldog and an avid music fan.
She works in public relations, running her own communications consulting business from home.
Mary Beth and her husband, Stephen, have two young sons. She is currently the editor of our Willowdale Women blog.
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