Silence is Golden
I’m not a big New Year’s resolution guy. But I like to pick a word or a phrase to describe a focus for the new year.
I’ve been praying about this for the past week. And here’s the word: silence.
For the past quarter century I’ve spit out lots of words: in teaching, writing, speaking, preaching. But I’ve not been silent enough. Too many words going out; too little nourishment going in.
There are implications for this blog, of course. I can’t write nearly as much as I have since 2003. I’m not sure yet what the implications are. Perhaps I’ll reduce my posts to once a week. I’ll let you know soon what I decide.
This is a year for reflection, growth, and greater silence.
How about you? Anyone else have a word or a phrase to describe a focus for 2008?
“Embody the change you want to happen”
by Someone not me
Can’t you be silent while you type?
I love it. Less talk, more walk. Somehow I want to incorporate this in my year too. For a long time now I’ve been amazed at how you can be so prolific. Your blog means a lot to me, but I’ll be grateful for a post once a week knowing that you are being filled. I have much more to say, but in the spirit of the blog, I’ll shut up.
Oh, and my word for 2008 is “Celebrate”
My word is, “Rest.”
I have just finished writing a Rule of Life for my Spiritual Formation Class with David Wray next week. Funny you should ask this today.
Mine is “fully formed.”
Fewer words might mean more powerful and thoughtful posts. I think a lot of preachers feel the same way. We are always giving out words, but few of us have time to take then in. This is why reading is so important. I word in my prayer life is read. More Bible reading, and maybe less blogging for me too.
http://www.matthewsblog.waynesborochurchofchrist.org
My word for yesterday’s “New Year’s” sermon was: Wait. I love Psalm 40:1, 27:14, 130.5 and IS. 30:18. Kinda goes along with silence…
maybe…
hmmmm…
Thank you for all the words you’ve given. But I understand the need for silence. May you have a wonderful new year filled with spirit and fire – and the silence to hear the voice of God.
My word is praise. This has been a rough year – moving back to Arkansas, dad’s passing away, my sister-in-law having a miscarriage, starting back to school, dealing with mental illness – in all of the storm, I’ve lost sight of silence, peace and praise. It’s something I dearly want to regain.
Thanks, though, just for being you and doing what you’ve done. Seeing your posts has brought me some times of focus that otherwise I may not have encountered. It’s meant a lot.
It’s definitely easy to get in a situation where you’re constantly teaching without ever having time to be taught. I wish you God’s blessings in your goals for 2008. If you need to cut back on some areas…even the blog…I hope people will respect that you need your space too.
Two words, but similar concept for me is listen and observe. I have one college freshman who knows everything
and a high school junior who is well on his way to knowing everything. So, I figure I can just sit back and listen and and watch them and I’ll know everything I need to know:)
When Britt & I saw you at the airport on Friday we were on our way to Breckenridge to spend a few days with his family. Because of schedules and a sister-in-law due with grandkid #25 next month, not EVERYONE could make it on this trip….ONLY 32 of us could come. We’re all in one house. Since today’s HIGH temperature is 8 degrees nobody’s leaving this house anytime soon. By midnight tonight, after being in the same house with 31 of my favorite people all day, I believe I might join you in a plea for silence in the New Year.
All kidding aside….I do believe silence is something that we’re collectively lacking. Although I crave it often, I’ve found that it’s become painful to experience silence. It hurts my ears. Sound has become an addiction. I’ve watched people with addictions want so badly to stop craving the thing that’s killing them, yet writhing in pain without it. Sound has become that for me in some ways. Am I the only one?
My word, for this year at least, is “Living-Into-God’s-Prefered-Future” (Sorry, friends, I couldn’t get this down to one word!)! Not sure what it means, but, I want to find out…any thoughts?
I like how you put that, Derran. I’ve been thinking about that very thing, that is, what is “God’s will” for me? I know that it is out there. I’m just struggling with how to find it, you know?
My word: present. I want to be present wherever I’m . . . uh . . . present.
“Selfless” is a word that seems to be following me around these days.
I treasure silence as well. And listening for God’s voice among all the clamor. Your words are always some of my favorites to read.
Phrase for my walk this year: Don’t get so stinking uptight about everything.
Guess I could have said, “Relax.”
I’ve let the idea of today’s blog “simmer” for a while now & I’ve come up with my word….PAUSE. I intend to utilize God’s gift unique to humans: the ability to create a pause before action. (Animals only REact. Humans have the unique ability to chose to pause, then ACT.) “Pause” encompasses all the words shared so far today:
I intend to pause and be silent.
I intend to pause to celebrate.
I intend to pause for rest.
I intend to pause in order to allow God to fully form me.
I intend to pause to listen to God’s will in order to live-into-God’s-prefered-future.
I intend to pause and enjoy the present.
I intend to pause in order to focus on others in an effort to be selfless.
I intend to pause to relax.
….and so on….
My word for 2008 is wisdom. I believe I’ll be spending some time in Proverbs.
Or you could forbid comments for a year…
I hope to learn “obedience through prayer”, and the passage I will focus on is: Hebrews 5:7-14.
Happy New Year everyone!
Available.
I hope to be more available to those that need nurturing, comforting, a listening ear.
wow. a preacher that knows when to be quiet (insert sarcasm here.)
as much as I love the blog, I completely understand. Does this mean I’ll have to get my fix for my Cope-addiction from downloadable sermons at Highland?
Third year’s Resolution: Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, work with your hands, and mind your own business.
“appreciate” The Lord and others more
Innovate in ’08
Kindness.
Reticence.
Silence is an interesting choice of words. My word for last Sunday in the middle of a series on the spiritual disciplines was “Reticence”–control of the tongue. I continue to remind myself and others that God gave us two ears but one mouth.
God’s peace to you for the new year.
Transition
I’d like to say my word this year is LISTEN, but I’m having a slight problem with it which I hope someone on here will be able to help me with. I seem to have the attention span of a fruit fly, so I’m searching iTunes for a podcast or audiobook of someone reading the Bible (NIV or something comparable). I do a search and come up with NOTHING. Nothing. Zip. That is, unless you count the really creepy narrators and their greasy music. They scare me to death. I can’t even listen to the whole 30-second previews. Yikes!!! Any ideas? I just want a straight reading, no “inspiring commentary”, no British accent, no holy voices, no whispery crap, no drama. Something where the person (preferably of the “normal” persuasion) just reads and then shuts up. Oh, and I’m looking for something where I can get through the whole thing in a year (Old and New Testament). Thank you for any help you can give me. I’ve also Googled it, but haven’t had much luck with that either.
Intentionality, confidence and hope. (Can I have three?)
CK, I don’t know if it would be in the category of “creepy”, but biblegateway.com has a way to listen to any part of the Bible. Hope that helps.
“I am a part of all that I have read”–John Kieran
“Lo, men have become tools of their tools”–Henry David Thoreau
Could this be our cell phones, ipods, blackberries, computers and blogs?
“To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting”–Edmund Burke
Blessings, David D.
I like a lot of the words other have posted. Can I borrow some of them? I really like intentionality, transition, and confidence.
I used to pick a theme verse for the year (actually it was for each new semester when I was in college.) But, since the spring 2005 semester (I chose this verse before the wreck, interestingly enough), I haven’t wanted to change from Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” It’s an equally fitting verse this year as I’m getting ready to make a big life transition.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, everyone! And blessings, Mike, as you pursue silence this year. I think that’s a great New Year’s focus.
Hi Mike
Isn’t it amazing how God works on our hearts and minds with the same ideas at the same time. Since arriving in Zambia it seems every book I have read and scriptures I have read have all had as their focus, being still or quiet in order to dig deeper into the presence of God. This is really hard for me to do because I am generally a motor mouth. So if you are experiencing the same desire to talk or write less and listen more, it is a affirmation of how serious God is about this topic. You make your living with words, written, spoken and prayed. If you sense God urging you to come closer, be more still and listen intently, how much more should those of us be doing the same. After all, your words reach thousands of people daily and impact on our lives for good as you seek to teach us how to listen to God and then do what He says. Doing is always easier than being. But knowing only comes with being still. I will get my connection with you from the Highland podcast and ask God to bless you as you find more thin places to be…. just be. Oh my word for this year is reticence. I never knew how that could apply to a spiritual discipline until I found it in renovare’s web page. I will let you know what God does with it and me in this coming year. See you in November.
CK – http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php
This is the site for daily Oswald Chambers devotionals. At the foot of each entry is the
Bible in one year
When you click on the entry, it takes you to biblegateway.com [as mentioned by Amy] and the option to listen to the day’s entry.
Hope that helps.
Blessings as you read/listen to His Word this year.
K
But there are times when things need to be said. I hope you will continue to be the voice that says the things that need to be said.
Mike, “Be still and know that I am God.”
Mike,
Many times during the past 2 + years I have let you carry the burden of challenging me and lifting me up spiritually. For those days when I was needing a drink and you gave me water, I say thank you.
Peace,
Buddy Gray
My focus for this coming year is “balance.” I’m seeking to do the right things AND do them at the right times (Ecc. 3:1-8). I’m sure that will include being called to silence as a regular practice.
To focus on I Cor 13:4-8 from small things to bigger issues in my life
“To get something you’ve never had (perhaps a deeper relationship with our creator) You must do something you’ve never done.” (perhaps be still and listen for his voice.) May you be filled to the brim in your silence.
My word will be “peace”. I so desire the peace that passes understanding that is talked about in Scripture, a true peace in spite of circumstances. I desire the peace of Jesus and to focus on His “non-anxious” presence in my life. To realize that only a few things really matter – it’s all about Him, not about us and our trivial problems we get so uptight about.
“Centering.”
Somehow, though, I have a feeling finding success with my word will depend on your word to a great extent, Mike. Thanks for the reminder about silence.
“walk by faith”
“Be still and know that I am God.”Ps.46:10 My prayer is that I will be still enough to know that He is Lord of my Life. He is the one who gives me peace. Silence. True Rest.
Mike–My word is “NO,NO,NO—say it isn’t so!!!”"”–I’ve just recently found your blog & I read & re-read your thoughts & ALL the comments daily. ALL have fed me intellectually & spiritually, but I guess my new word will be “unselfish.” I will share you with your well-deserved silence. Thank-you for all your words!!
I’ve been thinking about a 2008 focus and of all the many areas that growth is needed in my life, I think BST hit on a summation phrase that will be a good focus for me, the self-reliant, fixer-upper, thinking-my-way-through, research-oriented person that I tend to be: “walk by faith.”
I have stopped reading this blog so often because I found myself becoming belligerent and argumentative. Not because of Mike’s comments, but the banter that followed. I came back today and read a few posts and the comment threads, and I am saddened to see that so many use this as a forum to take cheap shots at one another like calling each other names and laughing at spelling mistakes like little children. I guess one word that I would like for us all to consider is “grace”.
May we give the same grace to others that we would like to receive from Christ.
Really miss your thoughts and reflections, but support your decision to take care of yourself in 2008.
Waymon