It’s been roughly 50,400 minutes, 840 hours, 35 days, or five weeks that we have been quarantined; but it feels like it’s been twice that long! And, while our family enjoys each other immensely, our little house has felt quite noisy at times. Whether it is children waking up at 6:30 a.m. (Amy’s contribution), trying to keep up with energy levels that go from 10 to 20 (Matt’s contribution), or just generally driving each other nuts, we’ve certainly experienced our fair share of noise. But one thing Amy and I are learning is that external noise causes internal noise that can wreak havoc on our souls if we are not careful.
Before we can silence the noise, we must recognize it. We aren't simply talking about a literal sound that we can block out with ear plugs. The type of noise that is really problematic is what keeps our mind and emotions so occupied that there is no space for intimate communion with God. To be clear, this noise is a problem even when life is “normal” but could be more noticeable during this strange season. So, what about you? What “noise” is keeping you from or hampering intimate communion with God during this quarantine? Here are some possibilities:
Things: more to-do lists, chores, bills, work or lack thereof, money.
People: too much interaction with family, too little interaction with friends.
Information: Twitter, Facebook, blogs and articles, books, documentaries, talk news, politics.
Entertainment: movies, TV shows, YouTube videos, books, games online, or phonecalls.
Amy and I would like to briefly share with you how we are striving to keep this noise in check by thinking and acting right.
1. What is helping us think right in the midst of noise?
P. Matt: In Psalm 62, David's hope in God presents itself in the form of silent and expectant waiting. Why is silence important in seeking God? Silence is a ceasing from speaking, a fasting from activity. The goal is more of God. Just like quieting a room to hear a vibrating phone, I need to quiet my life to hear from God through His Word. It isn't always possible to turn off the physical noises I'd like to, but there is usually something I can do to regularly create a quieter atmosphere for my soul to wait on the Lord.
Amy: During all seasons of life, but especially this one, I must have a steady diet of God’s Word. I have to evaluate how I am thinking daily, sometimes hourly, to make sure that my thoughts are God’s thoughts. I have really enjoyed Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” God is God, and I must trust Him! I can trust Him by taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). When I find myself following my fears and getting carried away with the noise of the news or the chaos in my home, I must take my thoughts captive and make sure they align with the Lord’s. Philippians 4:8 must be applied here: is this thought true, pure, honest? If it isn’t, I need to cast that aside and realign my thinking to match with the truth from Scripture.
2. What is helping us act right in the midst of noise?
P. Matt: In times of excess noise in my heart combined with a sometimes chaotic home, I can tend to react in anger instead of in love. James 1:19 instructs me to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, because there is power in my words; and anger doesn’t produce righteousness. If I am reacting versus responding I usually find myself in the house of the fool with anger curled up comfortably in my lap (Ecclesiastes 7:9). I am called to love others, and that means I am willing to be wrong, willing to show grace, and willing to put the other person's needs in front of our interests.
Amy: When I know that my thoughts line up with the Word of God, I can more easily trust Him. This really is a season. To the best of my knowledge, quarantine will not last forever. Our lives will be forever changed certainly, but let’s use these changes to help us love the Lord better in the days ahead! When we do gather together again physically, face-to-face, let’s greet one another with joy and real interest in each other’s lives. Let’s provoke one another to good works! Let’s sing songs joyfully and praise the Lord with our whole being! Let’s love others and serve them and the Lord well!
There is constant noise in our lives that is intent on keeping our minds and emotions so occupied that there is no space for intimate communion with God. Don’t fall prey to the schemes of the devil. We are praying for all of us that during this season of our lives, we can better learn how to rightly deal with this noise.