The Strength of Quietness ....

The Strength of

Quietness

Isaiah 30 15 “ . . In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. . “

Q: Why should we be quiet?

In answer this verse comes to mind . . “Be still in the presence of the Lord”

   Well, when take a look in depth, we learn that many things don’t have praise such as praise, or, so repeatedly enjoined in the Bible. Quietness is a result rather than a factor.

   It’s a misconception that noise creates strength, that the noisier someone is the stronger they become, or it is said some can’t sit still unless there is music or the TV on in the back ground.

   There’s an old saying that goes thus . .

‘We mar our work for God by noise and Bustle,

can we not do our part and NOT Be heard?

Why should we care that man should see us,

With our tools and our Psalms and the skill

with Which we use them.

And in often times we chaff and think

It heard that we should our great & costly

Stones for other men to build on and get

Praised while our names are forgotten

Or are passed over..’

  

   There are forces at work we never hear, but yet effect our everyday lives.  The rays of the Sun touch us and affect our moods. They silently feed the plants and help the crops grow in the field, and yet can bring such wondrous energy.   Gravitation is another silent force as well. With no rattle of machinery, no noise of engines, and yet it holds all the stars and worlds in their orbits with its invisible chains.  The Dew falls silently at night, whilst we sleep. And yet it touches every plant and leaf and flower with life and beauty.

   These were just a few examples of ‘Silent Forces’ that we can’t see or touch, yet affect our everyday lives. Just because we can’t see or touch these things, we know they are around yet, there is evidence of there strength.

There is strength in quietness

   In life it’s the quiet forces that will affect the most. There is strength even in self-mastery – in quietness of speech, a noisy talker will always be the weakest. So it is the calm quiet life that the truest strength is found.

Zephaniah 1 7  “ . .Be silent in the presence of the Lord God . .”

To do likewise would be too . . .

• ·  The tendency of the grace of Christ in the heart is to soften & refine the whole nature.
• ·  Make the very tones of our voices more gentle.
• ·  It helps to curb boisterousness into quietness
• ·  It squashes angry feelings into gentleness of love.

·        We are shown how to restrain resentments, instead teaching us to return kindness for unkindness, gentleness for rudeness, blessings for cursing, prayer for dis-spiteful usage.

“ . .love suffers long and is kind, love

Does not envie, love vaulteth not

Itself, is not puffed up, seeks not

It’s own, is not provoked, can with

Stand all things, believe in all things, 

hope in all things, can endure 

all things . .”

   With the love of Christ in our hearts can make us like Christ, and He was quiet when it was called for. He was never – Frustrated – Fumed or Fretted. He was never worried. When speaking he carried in Him calmness in His soul and was evident in all He did.

   A body builder will push his muscles to bursting. They will be fed only by that will help to build him up even more. Working hard to he was in control, except for one – small – muscle that will take more than working out in the gym. It won’t be affected by what he eats. Instead it will take everything he has and more. This can only be in the stillness/quietness in the presence of the Lord God.

We would do well to hear & understand the power of

Quietness

   This lesson I hope will help to keep us from out bursts of temper and from saying ‘rash’ and ‘haughty’ words that in an hour’s time, there can be no taking those words back. It’s too late no use saying sorry, as these words can last a life time.

   Even the most perfect marriage has it’s harsh incidents and it’s rude contacts, which tend to disturb the wife heart and cause pain. As for a man to be gentle, that no word  or act – habit – disposition of his, shall ever hurt the heart of the woman he loves.

   Nothing but the love that is not provoked, that does not have itself unseemly. That it can be silent and sweet, in any circumstances can make the Holiest wedded life, what it should be. Blessed is the couple that has already learnt this vital lesson.

   This last part teaches us quietness never came through the smoothing of circumstances, so there shall be nothing to irritate the spirit. We can not find or make a quiet place to live in, and thus make quiet in our soul. We are unable to have those around so loving and so sweet. All this so that we should nothing to vex or anoy us. The quietness should come from with in us nothing but the peace of God with in us.

Yet a quiet heart can lead to a quiet life