Sunday, February 7, 2016

The Gift of Quietness


There is a special strength that is born in solitude . . . Strength is not found in busyness and noise but in quietness. For a lake to reflect the heavens on its surface, it must be calm . . . The one thing that we need today more than anything else is to spend time alone with our Lord, sitting at His feet in the privacy of His blessed presence. 

--Streams in the Desert

The devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements:noise, hurry, crowds. He will not allow quietness.

--Elisabeth Elliot





I was given a gift this year . . . 

The gift of quietness. 

Moving away from my family and friends in obedience to a call that the Lord has placed upon my heart many years ago, my husband and I took our little foursome into a small country town many miles away from my beloved close-knit family and my beloved New England with all its familiar feelings and memories and places. 

To come here. Where it is quiet. 

Sometimes startlingly so. Quiet and still, a non-bustling place with very uncrowded streets and fewer stores and more stillness. 

I took it as a gift. It did not seem like one at first. 

And we don't realize how much the "hurry" of life has gotten into us until the Lord puts us in a quiet place--maybe through an illness, maybe a humbling trial, maybe a relocation. He puts us in a quiet place. 

We don't realize how much we love to be "busy." 

How much I love to be busy.

And there are so many ways that we can be--busy with raising our kids, busy with activities, busy with social media, busy with friends, busy in our thoughts, and even busy serving, as Martha was. 

There is nothing wrong with being busy--in and of itself. 

It is good to connect with family and friends. It is good to be active in love, serving. It is good to be "busy" in the business of raising our children. 

But sometimes the "busyness" takes over the quiet stillness that ought to be ever-present in our lives and in our hearts--that quiet stillness that enables us to listen to the Holy Spirit moment by moment--as we talk, as we raise our kids, as we interact with the lost, as we serve. 




That quiet stillness that keeps us at the feet of Jesus, listening. 

I was blessed to read a blog post by a writer that I really enjoy reading--

Heather Clamp at Encouraged at Home wrote a post that made me ponder the gift of quietness. She wrote about how we as believers have become strangely disconnected in the culture in which we live and how important it is to be truly connected with those around us--reaching out with the love of Christ and living lives that are purposeful and sincere. 

It encouraged me. 

And reminded me of this place where the Lord has put me--this quiet place. 

Reminded me that it is a gift. 




I am away from "home," but at the same time "at home" with Him who is our Home. 

The Lord has given me this time of stillness, I believe, to think, to read, to listen, to pray--

To humble myself at the feet of Jesus and to seek His will for the ministry that the Lord has placed upon my and my husband's heart. 

To shepherd my two little children in a very quiet way, to walk and talk with them and to pray with them and to love them. 

His grace alone has put me here, in this place--and as He promised, His presence has gone before me. 

A quiet place. 

Where He is. 







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36 comments:

  1. Rebekah, really like these thoughts. Since you left that quote for me, I've been thinking more on quietness, "that quiet stillness that should be ever-present in our lives and in our hearts". Have a lovely week!

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    1. Yes; quietness that leads to the Father is truly a great gift . . . thank you again for your encouraging post; it really spurred me on and I'm so grateful.

      Have a lovely week as well, Heather! :-)

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  2. Rebekah, you are so right! It is something that seems almost impossible to attain and even if I come close, I realize I still have not gotten there as I read your description of the new place the Lord has bought you! Visiting you today as your neighbor at #MondayMusings. Thanks so much for blessing my day here!

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    1. Pam, I have found how easily I can become distracted even here in my "quiet place!" I am seeing more and more how it is His Spirit working in and through me as I surrender to Him that He teaches me a "quiet heart." I pray that the Lord would deeply bless you Pam--May He grow us both in quietness and rest in Him.

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  3. I know exactly how you feel, Rebekah. After many years of going wide-open, full-speed ahead in active ministry, God called my little family and me into a place of being led by still waters four years ago. It has been a special time, and He has been restoring our souls. We enjoy this stillness....though, at times, we have struggled and squirmed, wanting to "DO" something more. Simple trust in His plan is sometimes action enough.

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    1. Cheryl, how well I understand that "struggling and squirming!" You are so very right--"simple trust in His plan is sometimes action enough." The Lord bless you, Cheryl!

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  4. Beautiful reflection of my feelings too. I was given the gift of stillness for one year when I developed a rare neuromuscular disease that made it difficult to move. Glad you found the blessing and shared with us.

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    1. Vickie, yes; it is truly a gift . . . I'm grateful that the Lord puts us in places where He quiets us to hear Him. The Lord bless you, Vickie :-).

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  5. Beautiful post! I can felt peace and quietness in your words and the pictures you used! Tank you for sharing. God Bless! Visiting today from Tell it to me Tuesday!

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    1. You're welcome, Lisa; I'm glad that I could share about this!

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  6. Rebekah, the Lord also drew me away from busyness. At first it was hard. Now I love quiet and solitude. Thanks for the two quotes you begin with. They capture the essence. For me, there is another noise I still fight, the draw of emails and the computer.

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    1. Yes; I understand what you mean, Vickie--it is hard at first and then the quietness becomes such a joy when it leads you into His Presence. I agree with you about e-mail and the computer, too--they can become such a distraction; I have struggled with that, too. Thank you for your encouraging words.

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  7. Bekki, Through this beautifully poignant post, I felt such peace; a peace I long for, and one that you have reminded me can be mine no matter where I am. Whether in the hustle and bustle of a city or in the quietness of a country town, we can find peace when we sit at the feet of Jesus, in quiet rest before the throne.

    Thank you so much for sharing the quotes from Streams in the Desert. I find myself re-reading them and just pondering them. Such richness.

    Blessings to you Bekki. I do miss you. <3

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    1. Yes, Karen--truly quietness and rest in Him is a state of the heart and He gives it freely to those who seek Him.

      Streams in the Desert has been such a blessing to me, too . . . I am so grateful for the testimony of those who have gone before us--you are right--there is such richness!

      I miss you, also! The Lord continue to bless you Karen as you are poured out for Him!

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  8. What a lovely post, Rebekah. I love that Elisabeth Elliot quote! You've given me much to meditate on when I go for my morning walk/prayer/Scripture memory power-combo in a few moments...on the QUIET country road in front of my house! ;) Stopping by as your neighbor from Women With Intentions Wednesdays!

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    1. Elisabeth Elliot has been such an encouragement to me in my walk with the Lord--I really liked that quote, too! She has a wonderful book, if you haven't read it already called Keep a Quiet Heart. You would probably really enjoy it! The Lord bless you, Elizabeth!

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  9. I read and re-read the Elisabeth Elliot quote. So important not to be tricked into missing the God's best.

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  10. I have a friend who has been stridently reminding me that the "busy-ness" can be come a terrible idol that prevents us from having the space to make real friends, convert the lost around us, and build a godly assembly of people.

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    1. Your friend is wise; she must be a real encouragement in your life--that is such a blessing!

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  11. Beautifully said!

    Thank you for linking with Woman to Woman's Word Filled Wednesday. God bless.

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    1. Thank you, Jenifer; I'm grateful that I could share this!

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  12. I do long for that quietness of which you wrote.
    Be blessed.
    Laura

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    1. Laura; I think it is a longing that the Lord places in every heart! The Lord bless you and fill you completely with that desire!

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  13. This is beautiful! Quietness is a gift! And for many of us, the simple act of waking up early is one way to achieve it thankfully! Thank you for sharing this week at the Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth! :)

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    1. Yes; JES! Truly a gift! I am so grateful to the Lord; He is kind. I'm glad that I could share about it! The Lord bless you!

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  14. Rebekah, what a beautifully inspiring blog. I found you on Shine Blog Hop and I'm glad I did. So many of us are afraid of the quiet, but God has been reminding me to come empty and still to Him and He will fill me.Thanks for a beautiful post.

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    1. Yes, Carlie; that is so true what you said-that we must come empty and still to Him and He will fill us. Quietness before Him is truly a gift. The Lord bless you, Carlie!

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  15. What a special gift He has given you, dear one. I am constantly seeking quiet in my life. To be at His feet, in stillness, is my favorite thing. Have a blessed week!

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    1. Yes, June; it has been a gift; I'm grateful to Him. The Lord bless you, June; have a blessed Lord's Day! :-)

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  16. Being quiet and still is a challenge, but an important part of drawing near to God. It shows a willingness and longing to hear His voice. Thank you for the beautiful words and images prompting my desire to be still in His presence. (Joining you from Faith-Filled Friday)

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    1. Yes, Debbie; truly, it is! I am so glad that you stopped by here; the Lord bless you!

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  17. Beautiful post. I can imagine it has been quite an adjustment, but a welcome one.
    Thanks for sharing at the Shine Blog Hop!

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    1. You're welcome, Tiffany; I'm glad that I could share! The Lord bless you. :-)

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  18. Thank you for sharing. I too have felt the whisperings of the Holy Spirit that I needed to give something up in my life to make it a little more quiet. I got rid of my smartphone yesterday because it was a distraction... pulling and tugging me into "busyness" and always checking social media in my spare moments instead of focusing on praying or meditating on God's Word. Funny how those little devices can creep into our lives and take over. Thank you for your post - it made me realize I made the right decision!

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    1. Yes! I understand exactly what you mean, Katrina! The Lord bless you as you seek Him in quietness and surrender . . .

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