“We keep silence solely for the sake of the Word, and therefore not in order to show disregard for the Word but rather to honor and receive it.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Life Together”, pg. 79

Do we actually take the time to be alone and still?

I would like to think that I do. However, let’s be honest, when the phone starts buzzing or the clock is ticking, the mind starts to drift. I ask myself, “How on earth did Jesus wander in the desert for 40 days?”

For some of us, even finding the time to stop and be still seems impossible. We are just “too busy” or “have a lot on our plate”. We find ourselves getting consumed in everyday tasks that we miss the whole point of why we are doing what we are doing.

There is a reason for us to stop and be still. Throughout the gospels, we find examples of Christ finding time to be still and silent. He was saving the world and He still found the time to be still before His Father. Who are we to say that we are too busy or bombarded to be still?

For the sake of living out the Christian name, we need to fully embrace the necessity of spending time alone with the Creator of the universe. If we do not take the time to silence everything around us, including our minds, we are inviting distractions to take over the sacred areas in our lives.

We owe that to ourselves but most importantly, we owe it to our Savior.