Waiting well is hardly my strong suit. How does time spent getting stuck in traffic when you run late to pick up your child expand into an unknowable amount of time? Suddenly, everyone is moving in slow motion, yet the time is speeding forward, and your estimated arrival time continues speeding further into the future.
Waiting in Silence
1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah
(Psalm 62:1-4 ESV)
The psalmist declares his willingness to wait on God because God is the source of all he values most. Even when attacked and vulnerable, he chooses to focus on the Lord.
When faced with a threat, I am tempted to fill the waiting with words of worry, complaint, and even catastrophizing. I can raise the “what if” scenarios to an outstanding level, but to what end? Will any of that help me?
What if I chose to wait in silence?
The psalmist decides to wait quietly and in the certainty of his rescue. While acknowledging the threat, he doesn’t fall for his enemy’s deceptive or intimidating ways. He turns down the volume on the doubters and tunes into the quiet presence of the Lord.
Waiting Unshaken
5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
(Psalm 62:5-7 ESV)
The psalmist decides to remain unshaken and focused on the solid rock of God. He declares his dependence on God alone.
When dealing with uncertainty, I am tempted to lose hope.
Waiting on God’s Wisdom
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
(Psalm 62:8 ESV)
The psalmist reminds believers to trust God at all times and in all circumstances and encourages believers first to pour out their hearts to God.
When dealing with human betrayal, I am drawn to seek justice from those in authority on earth. Or tempted to take matters into my own hands and rush to justice before even seeking God’s wisdom. At this point, I don’t know what I don’t know. I must wait on God’s wisdom.
Waiting on God’s Conclusions
9 Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
(Psalm 62:9-10 ESV)
The psalmist recognizes how fleeting the favor of man can be. Relationships die, people drift apart, and financial gains and losses come and go.
When I feel people fail me, it’s easy to allow disappointment to crush me. I must choose to trust God.
Waiting on God’s Steadfast Love and Justice
11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.
(Psalm 62:11-12 ESV)
The psalmist reminds believers to listen to God’s word and recognize his power. God has all the power and the most remarkable ability to ensure everyone is treated fairly and receives what he or she is due.
When the world celebrates the strength of the mob, the influence of the crowd, and the loudest voices, it’s tempting for me to lose hope. I must choose to cling to God’s steadfast love.
Prayer
Lord, teach me to wait well. Help me to focus on you even when I am distracted by anxiety and uncertainty. You are always worth waiting on. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Over thirty years ago, I worked in a town almost an hour away from home, and my husband was trying to balance his classes and a part-time job. Financially we were stretched, but we desperately needed a second vehicle. The Lord provided an old farm truck.
In the Spring, I began driving this Chevy to Blinn College in Brenham. This vehicle was high off the ground and lacked a side step. I was required to wear a dress or skirt to work every day. These years might have been known as the season of flowing florals. I had unwisely invested heavily in Gunne Sack and Laura Ashley. You might imagine me with one of my voluminous cotton dresses, running towards the open truck door and then trying to launch myself onto the bench seat. This could have gone better, but mostly it did not. Of course, there was no air-conditioning. It’s relatively warm in South East Texas for almost all the months of the year, so I often had to “freshen up” upon arrival on campus.
I sat silently in this truck while barreling down various farm-to-market roads, forever slightly behind schedule. I had a quiet commute for over a year because there was no radio. Looking back, it was a gift in a season of great transition. The old farm truck gave me a sacred space to pray and think.
These days, I can’t imagine anyone riding in vehicles without a radio, a phone, or a tech gadget of some kind. We live in a time when silence seldom occurs. Even standing at the gas pump, you may experience the odd combination of infotainment on a small screen inches away. The soundtrack of our lives seems stuck on play.
The lack of silence causes me to feel distracted. My attention scatters without quiet space in my daily schedule to gather my thoughts. It’s far too easy for my mind to bounce around and think of other things. Even during my daily Bible reading, I struggle. It’s such a discipline to engage in God’s word fully. Multi-tasking is far too often my default setting.
How do I find ways to enter into scripture and be more present?
Psalm 34 calls for God’s people to actively engage in each verse and suggests practical ways to do this.
1 I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD, and let us exalt his name together!
(Psalm 34:1-3 ESV)
How do I bless the LORD?
I can bless the LORD by thanking Him and praising Him. Not because He needs to hear that from me but because I am changed by hearing myself bless Him.
Boasting in the LORD
My soul can boast in the LORD because it reminds me about all He has done for me. Try making a list of boasts about what God has done. See how it transforms your attitude.
In verse 3, believers are encouraged to exalt God’s name together. There is something powerful about corporate worship. While we can each enjoy impromptu solo praise and worship time at home or in the car, deep encouragement comes from experiencing musical praise and worship with our faith community.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and deliver them.
(Psalm 34:4-7 ESV)
Focus on Delivery
Sometimes the LORD delivers me from an enemy or threat. No doubt, I am sometimes blissfully unaware of all the times He has done this for me. However, He also delivers me from my fears by showing me what is true about Him. Sometimes He reveals that my fear is unfounded and false. Other times, his deliverance comes as He takes away my fears. Still, in other circumstances, He makes His presence known and sends His angels to keep me company.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
(Psalm 34:8-10 ESV)
Taste and See
How do I taste and see that the LORD is good?
“Taste and see,” could mean to feel, touch and experience a more physical connection with God’s word. God intends to satisfy our hungry souls with a spiritual meal that I might miss out on. How can I signal my brain about the importance of what I am doing?
Cue Your Brain
When God calls me to come more fully into His presence, He requires a full-focused effort of my mind, body, and spirit. This kind of scripture engagement takes some extra measures. I need to ground myself to engage my brain more fully. I may need to ensure my feet are firmly on the ground, and my posture is adjusted to be more fully present.
In the Anglican tradition, we stand in church when the Gospel is read. This is a way we show respect, but it is also a way to use physical posture to remind me how important the message of salvation is.
Setting a Place
Just as I might set the table for a special guest, sometimes setting up a special place to meet God can cue my focus. Is there a chair reserved for quiet time in your house or on your back porch? Lighting a candle or using the scent of an essential oil whenever I read God’s word might also help.
While none of this is required, these techniques can cue our brains to focus.
What if I asked the Holy Spirit to help me?
What if I tried listening to God‘s word read to me aloud while I traced my finger across the text?
Some days call for an even more focused effort.
Listening to the Bible while writing out the Scriptures
Singing Bible verses
Journaling or doodling
Trying different ways to take in Bible verses can offer a fresh perspective and promote growth.
Fear and Lack
How can fearing the Lord cause me to have no lack? (v. 9)
Fearing the Lord is realizing how immense He really is. When I ask Him to reveal himself as Jehovah Jireh (the Lord our Provider), I may begin to see more of the ways He has provided. I could even make a list of His generosity.
I am far too good at estimating lack. When I focus on weighing and measuring what I don’t have first, then that is all I see. When I focus on the provision, I may have a different perspective.
Prayer
Lord, help me to sit in silence. Guard my mind against distraction. Help me to focus on what you have for me this day. Help me to taste and see Your goodness, and be satisfied. Teach me Your ways to do this. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
On the third Sunday of Lent (3/20/22), Anglican churches all over the world prayed this prayer.
Heavenly Father, you made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you: Look with compassion upon the heartfelt desires of your servants, and purify our disordered affections, that we may behold your eternal glory in the face of Christ Jesus; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
Collect for the 3rd Sunday of Lent – ACNA BCP 2019
our hearts are restless until they rest in you
look with compassion upon the heartfelt desires of your servants
purify our disordered affections
These phrases jumped off the page. The third week of lent, the halfway point, is a time when the enthusiasm of giving up something for this 40-day season may have waned. I feel a bit done with being done with something I enjoy. I am seeking valid reasons to press the pause button and question the validity of my pitiful sacrifice. After all, what difference does it make? My restless heart is running wild.
There it is listed in the prayer: restless hearts and disordered affections.
What does my restless heart need during this Lenten midpoint? What does it look like to rest in God? Do I finally have spiritual justification for a nap? It certainly does wonders for my grandchildren. What about my disordered affections. Do I too often love what is not suitable for my soul? Do I prioritize things or people over God?
The spiritual discipline of silence and solitude might be something to test drive. It could be a way to:
find true rest
spend time under God’s compassionate gaze
have my disordered affections sorted out
Donald S. Whitney in his book, ”Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life,” says,
“The simple act of silence before the Lord, as opposed to coming to Him in a wordy fret, can be a demonstration of faith in Him.”
In Psalm 62, David seeks God from a posture of silence and solitude.
1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down—this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse.
Psalm 62:1-4 NIV
While I am not under attack from an earthly enemy, the way David often was, who or what keeps me from resting in God and spending time in solitude and silence?
Technology intrudes on almost every moment of my waking hours.
It is hard to disconnect and take time alone with God. I am constantly monitoring my cell phone because someone might need me. Because it is all at the touch of a button, I find myself continually checking weather updates, news headlines, and updates on friends and family. The situation cuts the other way too. Have you ever received an irritated message because you failed to respond to a voicemail, text message, or status update immediately? In recent years reasonable response times have shrunk to minutes, not even hours.
I set a timer for 10 minutes this morning and sat in a chair on my back porch. I refused to pick up my phone until the timer went off. I intentionally chose to sit because it meant I was doing nothing. It would be too easy to get some steps in or begin weeding my patio plants. Those ten minutes ticked by slowly, and the chattering monkeys came to visit. Landscaping ideas ping-ponged into my brain, and I counted puddles of water around my yard left from the storm that swept through last night. I pushed those thoughts gently away and tried to clear my mind of nothing but God. I had to do this more than once.
“What do you want me to know, Lord?” I sat and pondered.
Ten minutes of silence is much longer than I expected. But, I did begin to hear the Lord’s still, small voice telling me He loves me, and I don’t have to do things for him to earn His love.
Do I find silence and solitude hard? Yes
Is it hard to put down my phone because there might be an emergency? Yes
Do I feel the need to be available to my people 24/7? Yes, so much.
God knows this. He has David remind me of the only place I can rest from the futile attempt to be all things to all people.
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.
6 Truly, he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:5-8 NIV
Verse 5 sounds like a conversation I might need to have. I must remind my soul to find rest in God again and again and again. Hope will naturally follow this practice because I will regain God’s perspective. I will no longer believe the lie that it is all up to me. This soul recalibration helps me gain God’s wisdom and insight.
If God is my rock, salvation, and fortress, I will not be shaken by external storms like bad news updates or internal fears and anxieties. I can pour out all my worries and then sit in silence, knowing He will care for every single concern I have. He will do it with abundance because He is the God of the universe, and I am not.
9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
Psalm 62:9-10 NIV
These two verses also remind me that God is fair. Even when I don’t see justice, He works in unseen ways. While an evil earthly tyrant might try to take possession of an entire country on the other side of the world, God is still working behind the scenes for His purposes. God can and will bring provision. That is not up to me.
11 One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: “Power belongs to you, God,
12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”
Psalm 62:11-12 NIV
Finally, these two verses speak to how well God knows His children. First, these things are so vital for us to hear God will send the message more than once. Second, God has all the power, and I do not. I can relax in knowing it is not up to me to fix everything, care for everyone, and do and do until I collapse in exhaustion.
God’s love for me does not fail, and it fills me with His love for others. Solitude and silence with God will re-order my affections. I no longer strain to love those I find hard to enjoy. God can fill me with His love for others if I draw near. I don’t have to try harder or do more.
God is ultimately the only fair judge in this world. He will reward everyone according to their deeds. In verse 12, God’s mercy and justice sit together. God does not give us what we deserve, but instead, He empowers us to do what He calls us to do. Will I obediently do what He has called me to and promised to help me do? Or will I continue to strive based on my strength?
Verse 12 could appear to contradict what God spoke to me today. However, God does not need me to do anything for him. Doing is not how I find my value. He has it all done and covered. However, he chooses to partner with each of us in his projects and works. When I come right beside Him, the yoke is easy and the burden light (Matthew 11:28-30). He rewards me with that joyful participation as He recalibrates my weary heart.
Spending time in solitude and silence might help me hear from God more clearly. Of course, for me, it might only come in small increments of 10-minute sessions, but perhaps I can build on that?
How about you? How do you find solitude and silence?
Anthea Kotlan 