Today I am home alone. I seldom get the chance to be alone so this time is very precious to me. It’s wonderful. I’m listening to the sounds of silence, or as close as I can get to silence without leaving home! I can hear the heating system blowing. My dog barks occasionally but mostly it’s just the sound of his breathing as he sleeps squeezed in between my right leg and the arm of the chair. Sometimes I hear a car or truck drive down the street. Today, I can hear what I’d call “construction noise” although I can’t see anything going on here on my street. It’s only vague sounds of motors and hammering and an indiscernible yell every now and then. All that is in the background and does not disturb me. This silence is so peaceful and quiet.

I miss this kind of silence when it’s covered up by the noise of televisions, computers or appliances. Most of the time I’m with other people and both of us are using some noisy audio device that covers the silence. And if there’s talking, it’s usually with noisy devices blaring in the background. If I need to communicate and make sure we have an understanding or “meeting of the minds,” it’s best for me that I request all noisy devices be turned off.

I’m disturbed and distracted by noise. For some reason, my brain has trouble focusing on the task in front of me when there’s noise to listen to. Voices are especially distracting to me. I don’t mean to eavesdrop, but my ears seem to pick up conversations that were not intended for me. Not that I always hear something worth repeating, but I seem to pick up information that tempts me to gossip. I’m working to overcome that somewhat acceptable and usually enjoyable sin.

Another big distraction for me is the Internet and social media. I have accounts on Facebook and Twitter, but I don’t often post anything. The big appeal for me is to read what everyone else is posting. I know it’s an illusion, but it’s like I’m keeping up with what’s going on in the world by reading all the posts. In addition to the news of the world, it feels like I stay informed about people I haven’t seen or talked to in months or maybe even years. It gives me a false sense of having continuing relationships with childhood friends, school friends, relatives I only see at reunions, people from places I used to work, churches I used to attend, neighbors I’ve moved away from, and even “famous” people I’ve never even met!. I see a picture in which they are tagged and feel like I just made a real connection with them and have a special, unique insight into their life. Like I said, it’s an illusion, not reality and only serves to keep me from doing other things that are much more important; real life and real relationships. I’m grateful for the clarity that comes when I can sit in the silence and focus on the real truth and whatever needs to be done.

A line from one of my favorite psalms is “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.” (Psalm 37:7) Patience is not easy for me so I have to feel like I’m doing something. My favorite thing to do while I’m trying to be patient is to sit in the silence and read the Bible and pray. I’ve always heard people use the first line of Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God” as support for spending time alone with God; for having a daily quiet time to commune with the Lord; for time of devotion and prayer. The Nelson Study Bible comments that this “stillness before the Lord is not a preparation for worship, but for impending judgment…” and how “all the earth will bow before [God]” as it says in the following verses. That’s a good reminder for me that this is serious business and it’s very important for me to remember the awesomeness of my God. I can just imagine the deep, powerful, booming voice saying “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14.) That kind of gets lost on me when I’m surrounded by the noise of life. But it comes through loud and clear when I’m immersed in silence.

Another scripture I think of when I get to sit in the silence is 1 Kings 19:11-12 where God encouraged a lonely, depressed and scared for his life Elijah by appearing to him as a fierce wind, an earthquake, a fire and finally what’s usually interpreted as a “still small voice.” My Nelson Study Bible commentary offers the phrase “the sound of a gentle stillness” as how God revealed Himself. Those words just bring peace to my soul. God can show himself in power or in powerlessness. God is in control of it all. And knowing that brings me comfort.