WHAT IS GOD SAYING IN THE SILENCE?
If as Herod, we fill our lives with things, and again with things; if we consider ourselves so unimportant that we must fill every moment of our lives with action, when will we have time to make the long, slow journey across the desert, as did the Magi? Or sit and watch the stars as did the shepherds? Or brood over the coming of the child as did Mary? For each one of us there is a desert to travel; a star to discover, and a being within ourselves to bring to life. ~Michael Podesta~
For many, there is nothing quite as beautiful as the absolute silence of a winter snowfall. The world looks as though God has taken a flour sifter, and gently tapped the snow through, allowing it to kiss the surfaces of trees and shrubs.
We’ve just heralded in a new year. We’ve survived the well- intentioned noise and hustle of the holidays, made resolutions, and perhaps already broken them. I would like to suggest that perhaps January first is not the time to chart our course for the coming year. Amidst all the noise, have we really listened to what God is calling us to do? The psalmist says, “my soul in silence waits”. For some of us, the sheer silence of a winter snow may offer us the opportunity to hear what God is proposing.
Here is a short exercise to help you open yourself to God. While sitting, take a break from whatever you’re doing, and check your body for tension. Relax your facial muscles and allow your jaw to fall open slightly. Loosen your tongue from the roof of your mouth. Let your shoulders drop. Let your arms fall to your sides. Allow your hands to loosen so that there are spaces between your fingers. Uncross your legs or ankles. Feel your thighs sink into your chair, letting your legs fall comfortably apart. Feel your shins and calves become heavier and your feet grow roots into the floor. Now breathe in slowly and breathe out slowly. Each time you breathe out, try to relax even more. Allow a simple phrase, such as “My soul in silence waits,” to drift through your mind as you relax. Maintain this quiet for as long as you can. What is God saying in the silence?
Through these stops with God, we learn that life isn’t about what we are doing or becoming. It’s embracing what is, instead of resisting it, and opening ourselves to God’s whispers of love and peace now and on the journey ahead.
A Blessed New Year to All!
Jackie Hoover