Quiet

I'm thankful for God's persistence with me. He began to speak to me about being quiet two Sundays ago, during our Worship Team's presentation of "The Promise". 

It struck me that God was silent (Scripturally), for 400 years.  Four-HUNDRED years. Yet the people continued to believe, hope, and have faith.

Amos 8:11-12 says there would be a famine of hearing the Words of The Lord; people would wander all over seeking the Word of The Lord and not find it. 

I become impatient and doubtful if I don't hear from Him the same day, the same week, the same month. 

I received His message to me, and believed it to be a lesson on patience, and not doubting Him. I missed that He wanted me to see His example of quiet. 

In the days that followed that initial message, I was sick; felt horrible; was tired and stressed from one of the busiest weeks of the year for us at work. And words flowed freely. Any words. Entered my mind, came out of my mouth. I was not quiet. 

This all came to a head toward the end of last week. I was left reeling with a picture of my behavior, and it was ugly. All I could hear was, Quiet. Be quiet.  

Not a reprimanding, Be quiet! (aka shut up!), but just...Quiet. 

Jesus was quiet. He never retaliated; He didn't walk the road dragging His cross, shouting, this is what I'm doing for you all! I am about to save you all! You people will regret what you are about to do.  You'll regret it. Just wait.  

No. He was quiet. 

"When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:23 NIV)

All throughout His earlthy ministry he was quiet; got quiet with God; answered quietly to accusations. 

I sat down Sunday to study a lesson I was to teach on Tuesday, and the key verse was "Happy are the meek". The definition of meek: to have a gentle, QUIET, humble spirit, or nature. 

Ha Ha! God, You are so You! There it is again.  Be quiet.  Okay. 

So I look up Scripture about being quiet,and it is a praise-worthy attribute. The Bible commends those who can keep the peace and listen.

There is a time to keep silent, and a time to speak. Eccl. 3:7

James 1:19: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. 

God will quiet us with His love. (Zeph. 3:17)

Then I began to understand. Quiet isn't necessarily something we can DO. Not Scriptural quietness. I can wake up and decide to be quiet today, but that's not going to last long. But  if my focus is on Him, quiet can happen. If I focus on the fact that He loves me so much, He stays after me when I don't get it the first time, because it's IMPORTANT! He doesn't want me to miss this! And that is awesome and that is a little scary too. Because it is so important.  I think, well, I'm not quiet; I'm slightly quick-tempered (ha!); quite vocal; quite opinionated. This will not last long, and I'll fail. And it's important.

Then beauty is revealed - the only way to be Scripturally quiet - is for it to come from Him. He will quiet me with His love.  If I allow God's love for me - which is abundant - to fill me up, so much that it overflows from me, then I can respond in a quiet, gentle way, or not at all. Then I can smile, and be quiet. Hush. 

It is a choice. I have to choose to allow that LOVE; that BIG LOVE, to fill me up, and then flow out of me. That is a choice. Being quiet is not one. Quiet is a product of Him in me. 

"A result, rather than a means." (JR Miller; gracegems.org)

In my research on 'quiet' I found this blog by JR Miller - don't know him or her, but Miller brought to mind quiet, yet strong forces.

Sunbeams, gravity, dew...the cross. 

The grace of Christ in my heart should soften and refine my nature. 

That hurts. If you've ever seen the Skit Guys God's Chisel skit - it feels like the chisel. It hurts. But I'm thankful!  So thankful! Please, chisel me now; let me feel You chipping away at the hard, jagged edges of who my flesh is. Please don't leave me unfinished. Chisel.  

The grace of Christ in my heart should repress angry feelings and soften them into gentleness of love; it should restrain resentment; it should return kindness for unkindness; return gentleness for rudeness; return blessing for cursing; return prayer for defiance. 

It does - if I allow it. I have to kick down the wall blocking His love flowing into my heart, and demolish the dam that keeps it from flowing out of me.  

Quiet. Worthy is the Lamb! How deep the Father's love for me; His wounds have been my ransom. Jesus died my soul to save..Jesus paid it ALL, and so ALL to Him I owe. Oh praise the ONE! Let the grace of this, of HIM, abide in my heart and generate QUIET.