What Happens When We Get Quiet Together
“Alone, without distractions, we put ourselves in a place where God can reveal things to us that we might not notice in the normal preoccupations of life. Solitude opens up a space where we can bring our empty and compulsive selves to God. And no matter how well we ‘do’ silence, God is there to accept, receive and love us.” Adele Calhoun
“Solitude well practiced will break the power of busyness, haste, isolation, and loneliness. You will see that the world is not on your shoulders after all. Your will find yourself, and God will find you in new ways. Silence also brings Sabbath to you. It completes solitude, for without it you cannot be alone. Far from being a mere absence, silence allows the reality of God to stand in the midst of your life. God does not ordinarily compete for our attention.” Dallas Willard
"We have been seduced by an idolatry that deceives us into thinking that God is mostly found in the big and loud. The ways of God are predominantly small and quiet. The ways of God are about as loud as seed falling on the ground or bread rising in an oven." Brian Zahnd
After guiding dozens of silent retreats, we’ve noticed a few things about God’s gentle intent for these set-apart days. Listening to our friends share about their experiences gives Beth and me enough encouragement to keep offering more, even when we’re not sure anyone is going to come!
First-timers are often a bit apprehensive. What will I do all day? And then most find that the day sped by before they knew it. First-timers also voice a fear: What if God doesn’t show up? Or even, What if God DOES show up? (This is my fear too! What then?)
I recall many a friend sharing about a new-found sense of God’s love. Somehow when we get quiet, He gets close. “I’m not even sure how to describe it,” one friend told me. “But Jesus really wanted me to know how much He loved me. I’ve never forgotten it. In fact, it was the beginning of a whole new way of relating to God.” How wonderful!
Retreatants often sense that God convicts them of something when they get still. But never in a harsh or demanding way. “He was so gentle in how He brought an issue to mind,” a friend shared. Others have found the grace of forgiveness for grievous offenses against them. Only God.
Sitting by the water at Ignatius House, my husband Bob sensed the Holy Spirit in the breeze, offering something very specific He wanted Bob to know. He still tells the story with great gratitude and remembrance. One friend reported three deer drinking quietly by that same river, invoking a meaningful moment of the Trinity’s presence and his own thirst for God.
God longs to just be with us. How He loves to be with us! Will you take the time to be with Him in an extended way? (I find it takes me a good amount of time just to still my soul, like the slowing of a demanding treadmill.) If not on August 5 with us, please find Him in the still, small voice that requires your quiet and unhurried attention. He loves you. He’s gentle. He may have something very specific just for you.
JUDY