Be Still: Finding God in a Noisy World

 

“Be still, and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Have you noticed how hard it is to find a truly quiet moment these days? Bernie Krause, a renowned nature sound recorder, once shared a startling fact. In 1968, it took him just 15 hours to record one hour of pure nature sounds—no cars, no planes, just the wind and the birds. Today? It takes him 2,000 hours to get that same hour of unspoiled nature.

What does this say about our world? We’re surrounded by noise—traffic, media, endless notifications, and constant activity. The world is louder than ever. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 183 million Americans are regularly exposed to noise levels considered excessive. Even our gadgets, like the Apple Watch, warn us when we’re exposed to 90 decibels or more.

But noise isn’t just external. What about the noise inside—our racing thoughts, worries, and anxieties? Sometimes, we even intentionally surround ourselves with noise to avoid facing what’s inside.

The Bible in Psalm 4:4 states “Search your hearts and be silent.”

Let’s be honest: silence can feel uncomfortable, even scary. Why? Sometimes, we’re afraid of what we might hear—either from God or from deep within ourselves. We spend so much time talking, worrying, and filling the silence that we rarely stop to listen.

Growing up in church, I was taught to pray, but not necessarily to listen. In fact many church prayer meetings felt like a large family get together. Whoever could talk the loudest had the floor. My prayers were often a one-way street: me talking, God listening. But when was the last time you spent real time in silence, just listening for God? Have you spent as much time listening for His voice as you have spent talking about your problems?

Jesus Modeled Silence and Solitude as we see in Luke 5:16 “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Jesus made silence and solitude a regular part of His life. He withdrew from the crowds, found quiet places, and spent time alone with the Father. It really got me thinking that if Jesus needed quiet time, how much more do we?

If we truly stopped to take a look at our daily routine. Does it look like someone who wants to hear from God? Are we ever truly alone, or are we always surrounded by people and noise? It causes me to think what could you or I change to eliminate some of the noise and make space for God’s voice?

What I am convinced of is that God Speaks in the Silence. Matthew 11:28 says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

How can Jesus give us rest if we’re never still enough to receive it? In 1 Kings 19:11-13, God tells Elijah to stand on the mountain because He is about to pass by. There’s a powerful wind, an earthquake, and a fire—but God isn’t in any of those. Finally, there’s a gentle whisper, and that’s where Elijah hears God’s voice.

We often look for God in the big, dramatic moments—the wind, the earthquake, the fire. But more often, He speaks in a gentle whisper. I have often thought about how many wish God’s voice was louder in our life. However, is it possible that the constant noise is making it hard to hear Him? What if the answer was not to ask God to speak louder but rather lower the level of noise in our own life.

This week, take intentional time to seek silence. Turn off the noise. Withdraw, like Jesus did, and listen. God may be waiting to speak to you—not in the noise, but in the stillness.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Maybe that’s exactly what your soul needs right now. I know this is true for me. With my wife heading to Africa in a month, I could not be more excited for her. That also means I’ll be “Mr. Mom” for over two weeks, and I could sense my gas tank was on empty—in fact, I think the gas light had come on. I recognized I needed some downtime, which my wife agreed to. After a couple of days away in my camper, in silence (outside of the Packers broadcast), I know I’ll come back a stronger, more sane person than I was when I first arrived.