Stillness
My Thoughts On … Part 1
Whisper – How to Hear the Voice of God
Mark Batterson
Article by Eric Allen
I live inspired. I know that’s a bold statement but it’s true. It’s not because of some internal mental creativity I have, rather, it’s because of the amazing stories and teaching I read and listen to each day. One of my favorite sources of inspiration is through reading. I love to read! It’s because of that passion I’m excited to share “My Thoughts On…” a book I’m currently reading I think for the third time. You may be wondering why I would read a book three times? It’s a great question and the simple answer is because it inspired me so much (that was a set up by the way) that I wanted to revisit the stories and teaching again. I don’t read all books multiple times, actually very few make my “annual read” list. This one did and I’m happy to share some thoughts with you as I go through it. Here we go.
Our world is getting more and more noisy. I mean that both literally and figuratively. Between the constant conversations going on around us in our work spaces, on TV, social media, and the ongoing dialogue going on in our minds (please tell me you have dialogue going on in your mind) it’s hard to find time and space to sit quietly with our thoughts. Mark tells the story of acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton who compiled what he calls “The List of the Last Great Quiet Places.” It consists of places with at least fifteen minutes of uninterrupted quiet during daylight hours. At last count there were only twelve quiet places in the entire United States! I’m sure there are some caveats he considered but the shortness of that list is unfathomable. Furthermore, I read an article in the Washington Post that stated in your typical office setting workers are interrupted on average every three minutes and five seconds. The point is that we live in a noisy world that is full of interruptions and distractions.
Why does this matter you ask? Great question dear reader! First let’s look at some tangible data from workflow expert Edward G. Brown. According to Brown, “Needless interruptions cost a company 6.2 hours a day. That’s 31 hours a week - it’s like having one less worker.” He also says, “A social media interruption occurs every 10.5 minutes on average, and people waste 41% of that time on Facebook.” That’s not even considering other social media platforms. Though not all interruptions or interactions are bad Batterson states, “When our lives get loud, with noise filling every frequency, we lose our sense of being. We run the risk of turning into human doings rather than human beings.” Mark’s point: our lives are too loud, our schedules are too busy- that’s how, why, and when we forget God is God. The solution? Stillness.
I did an experiment years ago in a class I was teaching to illustrate how noise and distraction keep us from hearing when God speaks to us. I asked a couple to separate to either side of the room and engage each other in conversation. I then instructed the rest of the class of around 35 people to stand between the couple and begin to have random conversations with each other. The class immediately became loud with tons of different conversations making it impossible for the couple to hear one another. I then, one by one, tapped people on their shoulders signaling them to end their conversation and return to their seat until all conversations had ceased and everyone was seated except the first couple. With all the noise and distraction gone the room became quieter and the couple could hear and understand each other clearly. This is a picture of most of our lives. We are too busy and have too many conversations going on at the same time to have an ear tuned to God’s voice. So, what’s the solution?
Noted author and professor Henri Nouwen believed that silence was an act of war against the competing voices within us. That war isn’t easily won because it’s a daily battle, but each day God’s voice gets a little louder in our lives until He’s all we can hear. Nouwen says, “Every time you listen with great attentiveness to the voice that calls you the Beloved, you will discover within yourself a desire to hear that voice longer and more deeply.” Dear friend we need to take an honest inventory of what information we are allowing to enter through our ears and eyes. We need to eliminate unnecessary noise, we need to greatly reduce the distractions in our lives, and we need to make space to sit quietly and listen to what God has for us.
I leave you with the challenge Mark gives at the beginning of the book. He asks readers to consider “praying a bold prayer.” He says, “It’s a prayer that can change the trajectory of your life.” He issues a warning though, “If you aren’t willing to listen to everything God has to say, you eventually won’t hear anything He has to say.” Are your ready? Here’s the seven-word prayer that can change your life: Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.