The Importance of Seeking Out the Holy Hush

,Noise.

The world is filled with it.

White noise is the best kind for sleeping. Wheel squeaks are rewarded with the most attention. New house bumps and thumps make the heart jump.
But, where is the quiet?

Hiding.

Mysterious.

Elusive.

Worth finding.

How can I hush the noise?

Psalm 46:10 "Cease {striving} and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Striving? Against what? With what am I contending; against what am I devoting serious effort that needs to stop?

Energy focused on the wrong thing depletes the energy needed for the right thing. Exalting Almighty God, I AM, in my life is the right thing.

To know… to realize, recognize, grasp, appreciate that God is God. There is none other than Him in that high exalted place, and He will be exalted among the nations, in the earth. What does that have to do with me?  Plenty!

My striving is the evidence that I still think I have the solution to all my problems. I still believe in my heart that the plans I devise will serve me best. I am amazing! My voice should not be silenced, even in my head.

How foolish am I?

God speaks and I brush Him aside like a pesky, annoying fly. My own noise silences The Voice that speaks only Truth and Life.

I don’t want the Lord to be silent. I need Him to speak healing and grace to my spirit.

Consider this picture of peace found in Psalm 131:1-3 “O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me. 2 Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child {rests} against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me. 3 O Israel, hope in the LORD From this time forth and forever.” (NASB)

Deep down I desperately want to know that I am not the beginning and end of all things in my life. Until I am quiet I can never hear Almighty God whisper to my heart. I will never know the blessed peace of one unburdened from the weight of the world.

Here are three ways to help you seek and find the holy hush in your life:

1. Noises off, ears on. In verse one the psalmist backs away from pride and self-sufficiency. These will always produce noisy, empty chatter. He rejoices in humility and releasing himself from engaging in worldly discourse in trying to take on matters too great or difficult to solve. Leave the hard stuff for God. Quietness is a sign of trust in The One who knows all. Willingly do the next obvious step. Train your ears to hear God’s voice. God is with you.

2.  Don’t wonder what will happen. Seek the Presence of the God of Wonders. We can get all upset about life’s situations and the troubles that come. We’ll get ourselves all worked up like a small child who comes unglued because their perception of the world is spoiled. God’s Presence alone quiets the soul.

Pursue God; there, peace will be found.

Hebrews 10:22-23 “Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled {clean} from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;”

3. Hope’s focus is always on God. Hope is that fixed point that keeps us on track. Hope grounds us and guides us to the glorious fulfillment of God promise.  Hebrews 6:19 ‘This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a {hope} both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,”

It may sound like I’m encouraging an escapist mentality for living. I am not.
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We have been called to live in this world but not to be of this world. God calls us to minister His grace in this world through our lives, in many different ways and for many different situations. We must engage in order to effect change. The trick is to not allow anything to obstruct our vital need for connection and peace with God. If that happens we end up striving in our own strength, drawing from our own wisdom, and promoting our own agendas.

Rejoice in God’s whisper to your soul. Let God be God.

As we go into the future with Jesus, let’s encourage each other to seek the holy hush in our lives. 

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