Silence and stillness...

Psalm 46:10 - "Be still and know that I am God."

This is one of those verses that is so grounded in my mind and spirit and soul.  It generally comes to mind when I'm being my usual stressed, OCD self.  But this week it lingered in my mind and wouldn't leave.  When this happens, I tend to feel like it's God's way of making me see something.  To slow down enough to realize it and understand it.  I begin to pray for discernment and leading.

The word silence was in the forefront of my mind.  The other night, when I of course should have been getting work done, I read through some quotations about silence on the Internet.

“In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness.  Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.”  -Mahatma Gandhi

“God's poet is silence! His song is unspoken,

And yet so profound, so loud, and so far,

It fills you, it thrills you with measures unbroken,

And as soft, and as fair, and as far as a star.”

-Joaquin Miller

“Silence is a fence around wisdom.”  -German Proverb

“Silence is as deep as eternity; speech, shallow as time.”  -Thomas Carlyle

This all made sense.  Be still.  Be silent enough to hear what God is saying to me. Right?  Was this what He was wanting me to get out of this?  This was nothing new.  This is what I gleaned from this Scripture verse before now.

I was having my prayer/devotion quiet time very early this morning when He revealed it to me all of a sudden.

I am a words person.  I am a writer, I am a conversationalist, I am detail oriented...all of these things should give you the idea that I am not rendered speechless very often.

I was feeling overwhelmed for various reasons this morning and spilling it all out to God in prayer.  I found myself talking in circles, trying to get out what was on my heart and mind, but unable find adequate words.  Then something came to me...

God doesn't need my words.  He hears the heart that is unspoken.  In the silence, I hear His voice, which is the only voice that matters.

That's what He wanted me to get out of that Scripture verse.  I needed to remember that part of being still is sometimes being silent.  He doesn't need my words to know what is in my heart.  Too often I get so caught up in finding the words to say when it is so unnecessary.  God hears our hearts.

This reminded me of a powerful song written and sung by a woman I'm blessed to know and proud to call a friend.  During a very, very difficult time in her life, she found it difficult to find words to speak and was spending a lot of time being silent.  As a result of that time, she penned this amazing song.  (Lyrics are posted below the video.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFwVzRwz-m8

Hear My Heart (Sheri Easter)

Sometimes I feel no one’s ever been in this place before.

This is hard, and I’m not sure that I can do this anymore.

I know someday I’ll look back and all this won’t seem real

But Lord right now I need you to know just how I feel.

When there are no words to say and no prayer that I can pray, hear my heart.

When I don’t have strength to try and I’ve cried all I can cry, hear my heart.

Cause you know every fear and every doubt I cannot speak.

You know all the ways I need you and all the ways I’m weak

So I’ll be quiet so You can hear my heart.

Every now and then, I recall a simple phrase or melody.

It comforts, it quiets, it lifts me up and then it carries me.

Far above the pain and hurt I think will never end.

The song speaks words I cannot and calms the fears within.

When there are no words to say and no prayer that I can pray, hear my heart.

When I don’t have strength to try and I’ve cried all I can cry, hear my heart.

Cause you know every fear and every doubt I cannot speak.

You know all the ways I need you and all the ways I’m weak

So I’ll be quiet so You can hear my heart.

Lord I’ll be quiet

So You can hear my heart