A Quiet Soul
We have stopped living in a quiet world. Now, that doesn’t have to mean sound in our lives. Take stock for 10 minutes of how many notifications come across your phone. How many emails? How many messages? How many news updates? How many dings, pings, and vibrations happen in your life in any given amount of time. Our world has become loud. That loudness creates ongoing distractions that pull at our very souls. We become disturbed but we don’t know why. We feel turmoil inside but we fail to realize the source of that turmoil. God made us to have intentional moments of quiet for our souls. When we don’t take steps in this area we will find our lives robbed of the joy, peace, and comfort that God promises us. We actually function best when we regularly turn off the noise around us. Admittedly, that is quite the challenge in our lives. How do we actually take time to quiet the things around us?
Solitude
Every person needs to periodically get away from the crowds. Even an extreme extrovert needs to recognize the importance of solitude in life. Filling the space around you constantly with noise will drown out the Holy Spirit speaking to you. Jesus modeled this for us. We see him in Scripture regularly surrounded by crowds pressing in on him. After some of the highest moments of ministry he would retreat to be alone with the Father. He saw the need for solitude to happen in life. He needed it to speak and commune with his Father alone. Don’t underestimate the power of solitude in your own life. It can be accomplished in all sorts of ways. There is no one way to do it. Find your way and go for it.
Schedule
Perhaps the greatest reason to identify your purpose and priorities is that they will help you learn what you need to say, “No” to. If you want to know where your priorities really stand, take a look at your calendar. It used to be your checkbook, but nobody has those anymore. Time is one of those things you cannot make any more of, and you can’t save it for later. You can’t, and shouldn’t, say yes to everything. Intentionally protect your schedule and make sure it reflects the most important things in life. To care for your soul you will have to protect your schedule. Overloaded schedules produce overloaded souls that eventually burn out and fail.
Stillness
Practicing solitude carries the idea of quieting the things around you and all of the voices coming to you. Practicing stillness carries the idea of quieting your own inner voice in order to hear God. Life is filled with concerns, anxieties, and worries. Those internal voices can overshadow the voice of the Spirit in your heart. One of the most amazing qualities of God is that He knows when to stop, when to cease striving and creating. God knows when enough is enough. As human beings, we can easily struggle with knowing when to pause, when to stop, and when to be still. To care for your soul you have to be still at times. You have to quiet all the inner talk. You have to cease striving for a bit. You have to remember why you trust the Lord and you have to practice that trust.
The peace and comfort of God are a priceless treasure in your life. In time, practicing these things to quiet your life and focus on God, you will reap the benefits. You will be a better you. It takes time and practice. It is not an overnight success story. However, to be the best leader, spouse, parent, and person that God intends you to be, these things need to be a part of your life. The outcome is well worth the challenge in making these practices a regular part of your life!