Noise and Distraction
I've a frustration with life, especially here in the U-S, but in general here in the West. We're so jam-packed with noise, we have no time to think or pray or focus our minds on the Gospel tasks most important.My car has no Cd player, nor does it have a tape deck - yup just a radio. I get so annoyed flipping through the stations, trying to find something not annoying. I've found myself lately just switching off the radio for some silence. It's generally very nice, and I'll sigh in relief for the unusual silence. And I find myself thinking about more important things, or processing through life and thoughts, and most enjoyed, using the time to pray and offer the things on my heart to God.
Other times I'll use the drive time to call someone on my mobile. Cellphones are another one of those "noise and distraction" factors, but I'm a communicator, so it's a part of how I work right now. Well, yesterday I had a longer drive, that on the way there I'd spent in silence, prayer and thought, but on the way back I called my mom and debriefed the thoughts and ideas that had spun in my head earlier. It was good, needed. Anyway, as I drove, we got interference, big time. I mean, we could totally hear someone else's conversation...bits of it cutting in and out of ours. It was kinda funny, but rather annoying too. Especially when it broke the flow as I was in the midst of saying something important.
At work I have broadband connection on my computer, so I'm online doing work and editing things on my computer all day. In the midst of work stuff, I'll sometimes chat with other people at work and also some far away friends in California, England and Australia. While I'm glad for the connection to far away friends, there's nothing like a real face to face interaction (which for my England friends is just a week away!!!!!). I'd rather have IM than nothing, and good conversations do happen, but sometimes it confuses and distracts more than provides a good connection.
I think, we grow so accustomed to noise and interference and distraction in our walks with God that our conversations and interactions with Him are more like instant messenger chats or broken-up cellphone conversations (Can you hear me now?). Real prayer and real depth with God is like sitting for hours over cups of coffee/tea, recalling the past, dreaming of the future, wrestling with now, together. That's what I long for with God more than anything. And that's what I love and desire most in life with others. And the journey of faith with God (and others) is like getting up after the hours of conversation and togetherness, and going out to meet the world and its needs together.
And that's my deep, deep thot for today. :-)
posted by FaithChristine @ 12:49
5 Comments:
i cnt wait to see u faith!!!!!!!!! is it rely only a week???? oOoOoOoOo r u staying at my house the first nite? or wen if if not??
My favorite place to be is in the woods where the sounds of nature blend together in praise to God. No radio, cell phone, or TV. Just me and God in the cool of the day. I think God must like that too, He walked with Adam in the cool of the day. Ahhh....would like to be there now, but it is raining.
I really enjoyed reading this. Thanks for taking the time to type it out and share it with us/me.
On the subject of silence, this past Sunday, the worship leader in Kid's Kingdom did something really neat. She honored the deaf girls that I help teach for the "gift of silence" that God has wisely chosen to give them. Before leading the whole group of 100+ kids in signing a song, she spoke for a moment on that gift of silence and how much she envies them for it. And she said "I think they hear God better, because they don't have all the other noise around them to distract them." And then we all sang IN THEIR LANGUAGE...and they sang along with awe all over their faces, as they experienced for the first time what it felt like to "hear" that many people "singing" in one accord.
It was an amazing experience. I was reminded of it as I read your challenging/amazing thoughts on silence. Had to share...
Oh, one more thing...90.3 or 90.5 are what I have settled on the past couple months. They are classical music (sprinkled with a little talking here or there...and also some news at certain times of day). I like them because they help my brain be still...when I have complete silence, sometimes my mind just makes its own noise/distractions. When I turn to these stations, they often help me be still and have peace and think focused thoughts and enjoy time in prayer and fellowship with God.
So...they might be something worth programming into your radio for certain moods.
Very cool story about the deaf "choir". Also, thanks for the station tips. I'll try them.
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