Deafening Silence
Deafening Silence
By Chad Jarnagin
If we step back from our busy lives for a moment of reflection we will start to hear a deafening silence. The ironic thing will be that it is truly the still silence that is so deafening. Everyone that I live in community with has struggled with a noisy, crazy hectic schedule running from meeting to meeting, coffee to coffee, service to service.
Let's come back to the opening sentence, step back from the busy life for the few minutes that you read this and reflect. After you read this take 5 minutes and sit in silent solitude. NO phones (texting, etc), NO computer(AIM, MySpace, etc), NO music, No XBox 360, NO talking. Nothing, but silence. If you haven't experienced this in a while the sound will be loud, you'll see what I mean. If you have seen the Nooma "Noise", go check it out.
In the book Facedown (Matt Redman), Bill Hybels (WillowCreek) asked, "is the ambient noise level of my life low enough for me to hear the whispers of the Lord?" A. W. Tozer has said "in some instances, absolute silence might well become our greatest act of worship". I don't believe the silence Tozer is talking about just happens in our worship service times. The worship service of life is where the tire meets the road. What, how and why we do what we do in our daily life.
Everything in our culture is screaming with a DB level that is dulling our hearing the Creator's voice. When your people come into worship on Sunday let's try to remember that life is fast and loud. It can be voluntary or involuntary, but our communities still live in the fast and loud. If we are living there as well, how can we lead them into the Holy? When I come into church I NEED the music peeps to help lead me to a place of silencing & yielding my world in order to seek God in everything. I think we know that God is everywhere AND in everything, but how often do we live acknowledging that? We usually let our little worlds dictate response to the Almighty.
In order to effectively lead people into worship of God, we must be clear to hear where He is leading us. We can't always be clear to hear if we aren't seeking Him in silence and solitude waiting and listening. Application of a TRUE "quiet time" or "silent time" is the only means of execution here. Writing, reading, or doing will only delay the secret place that God is calling us to seek. He WILL be in the secret silent place. It probably looks differently for everyone. Let us all go there to hear and learn from the Father for His glory and fame.
By Chad Jarnagin
If we step back from our busy lives for a moment of reflection we will start to hear a deafening silence. The ironic thing will be that it is truly the still silence that is so deafening. Everyone that I live in community with has struggled with a noisy, crazy hectic schedule running from meeting to meeting, coffee to coffee, service to service.
Let's come back to the opening sentence, step back from the busy life for the few minutes that you read this and reflect. After you read this take 5 minutes and sit in silent solitude. NO phones (texting, etc), NO computer(AIM, MySpace, etc), NO music, No XBox 360, NO talking. Nothing, but silence. If you haven't experienced this in a while the sound will be loud, you'll see what I mean. If you have seen the Nooma "Noise", go check it out.
In the book Facedown (Matt Redman), Bill Hybels (WillowCreek) asked, "is the ambient noise level of my life low enough for me to hear the whispers of the Lord?" A. W. Tozer has said "in some instances, absolute silence might well become our greatest act of worship". I don't believe the silence Tozer is talking about just happens in our worship service times. The worship service of life is where the tire meets the road. What, how and why we do what we do in our daily life.
Everything in our culture is screaming with a DB level that is dulling our hearing the Creator's voice. When your people come into worship on Sunday let's try to remember that life is fast and loud. It can be voluntary or involuntary, but our communities still live in the fast and loud. If we are living there as well, how can we lead them into the Holy? When I come into church I NEED the music peeps to help lead me to a place of silencing & yielding my world in order to seek God in everything. I think we know that God is everywhere AND in everything, but how often do we live acknowledging that? We usually let our little worlds dictate response to the Almighty.
In order to effectively lead people into worship of God, we must be clear to hear where He is leading us. We can't always be clear to hear if we aren't seeking Him in silence and solitude waiting and listening. Application of a TRUE "quiet time" or "silent time" is the only means of execution here. Writing, reading, or doing will only delay the secret place that God is calling us to seek. He WILL be in the secret silent place. It probably looks differently for everyone. Let us all go there to hear and learn from the Father for His glory and fame.
posted by go to www.chadjarnagin.com at 7/26/2006
7 Comments:
Wow! So true..... my life seems always busy with noise. Last weekend I went to visit a friend at his church because he was leading worship. At one point during the worship all the music stopped, the voices ceased and for about three minutes there was silence. I must be honest, those three minutes held some of the most powerful worship I've experinced this year. I allowed the noise to fade and God spoke through the silence.
We need more silence in our lives thats for sure!
Wow indeed. Well said Chadwick.
Lucas, that is so pwerful sometimes. Glad you had that.
SP
Lucas, that' sfrikin great mate. We are too planned out sometimes to the point of accidentally leave God out. When it is all about music OR a sermon, we miss the point I believe.
There is power in silence and wonder. Funny thing is God is so everywhere that I have found stillness in chaios. In urban NYC or Chicago. We just to BE, no matter where we are sometimes.
SP- You called me Chadwick. That's not allowed.
Thank you Chad. This was a very timely post.
Great writing. You should write a book. Call it "The Life and Time of a Blogstar".
:)
Katrina
Thanks for the head's up Craig. I'll be looking at that for sure. Thank for touching base.
I'm coming to Cincy to do a game again AUG 18th. I only have 1 1/2 days there. Much Love.
Katrina- I have been writing a book for a while now. Not sure if you were really serious, but there you go. I like your title idea. Not really, but it was funny.
Chad
Chad! I have a proposition for you. Would you like this to get published on Relevant online? I am the new worship editor (volunteer, but joyfully so) for the site. I am sending some things up this coming week.
Just say the word and it's done, friend. I think it would be a perfect addition to the section.
Take care!
Rachel
Sure Rachel. Let me know if it needs to be edited etc.
Peace
C
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