Tag Archives: being quiet

August 21, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Being Quiet

I’ve noticed that when people are nervous, there are those who get real quiet and those who ramble on. I find myself in the later group a lot of times. For me, talking helps me to figure out what I’m thinking and how I’m feeling. It helps me to sort out the problem, but it also keeps me from listening to good advice and can make others around me more nervous. I was once told, “You have two ears and one mouth. You need to listen twice as much as you speak.” That’s something I have to remind myself of quite often.

When it comes to prayer, I can find myself in the same boat. From the time we are young, we learn that prayer is talking to God. What we’re not taught is that it’s listening to God as well. I think God talks as much or more than we do, but we can’t hear Him over our own talking. Being quiet in the presence of the Lord requires discipline. You have to learn to shut down your mouth and your mind. The silence can be deafening at times, but it’s in those moments where we hear God the loudest.

Psalm 37:7 says, “Quiet your heart in his presence and pray; keep hope alive as you long for God to come through for you” (TPT). Many times there is a nervousness that God may not answer our greatest need. If you’re a talker, quiet your mouth. If you’re the quiet type, silence your mind. God doesn’t answer our prayers on our timetable. If we’re listening to what He says, and trust that what He does is always right and for our good, we can have hope in any situation. God is good all the time, and He sees beyond our most pressing need at the moment. Get quiet and still in His presence today, listen for His voice and give Him freedom to answer His way instead of yours.

Photo by Franco David on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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October 28, 2021 · 5:30 AM

The Quiet Place

I jokingly refer to Egypt as the land of a thousand car horns because Egyptians use the horn instead of a blinker. I once tried to count how many honks I heard in a ten second span, and couldn’t do it. There were times when I just wanted some peace and quiet. To get away from the noise, I would rent a sail boat and have them take me to the middle of the Nile. It was my little quiet place where I could stop and think as I watched the sun set behind the pyramids.

Where is your quiet place? We may not love in the land of a thousand horns, but we live in a noisy world. There are so many distractions in our lives that it’s hard to find that place of serenity. It’s that place where our phone isn’t buzzing, kids aren’t vying for your attention, social media doesn’t exist, and no one bothers you. We all need that space in this world or we’ll go crazy!

In Psalm 27, David found it. He wrote, “When besieged, I’m calm as a baby. When all hell breaks loose, I’m collected and cool. I’m asking GOD for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, The perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic” (MSG). David found his quiet place in spending time with God.

Each of us needs to set aside time in our day to spend time with God. We need it to keep our perspective so we can remain calm and cool no matter what’s happening in our lives. That quiet place reminds us that God is in control and that He’s got you. Resting in His presence quiets the fears and doubts of the unknown our lives. His Word gives us the hope and encouragement we need. If you’re there right now, take some time to find that quiet place in Him. You’ll be glad you did.

Being Careful With Words

When I was a kid, there were commercials for EF Hutton. Two people would usually be at a restaurant or somewhere busy discussing investments. One person would say that his broker told him something about investing, then he would ask, “What does your broker say?” In every commercial, the other person would say, “Well, I use EF Hutton and he says…” At that point, the camera would zoom out, and everyone around them had stopped what they were doing and were leaning in to listen. The voice over would then say, “When EF Hutton talks, people listen.” It was a simple, effective way to show that not everyone talks just to be heard. Some people only speak when they have something to say, and it’s usually good.

In 2 Kings 20, King Hezekiah had been deathly sick. Isaiah prayed for him and God extended his life. The king of Babylon heard about his illness and sent messengers with a gift. Verse 13 says, “Hezekiah welcomed the messengers and showed them his wealth—his silver and gold, his spices and perfumes, and all his military equipment. There was nothing in his storerooms or anywhere in his kingdom that he did not show them” (GNT). He went on and on about all he had to them. That’s when God sent Isaiah back to the king to ask about the messengers. God was displeased with how Hezekiah told them everything. Then Isaiah prophesied that everything those men saw would soon be carried off to Babylon including members of his own household. He talked too much.

Proverbs 17:27 says, “He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words, And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper)” (AMP). It goes on to say that even a fool is considered wise when he keeps his mouth shut. How careful are you with your words? Do you just say whatever comes to your mind or do you think about it, filter it and determine whether something needs to be said? We need to learn that not everything needs to be said, nor do we need to comment on everything. It’s good to choose your words wisely and to stay quiet at times. Wise people listen, learn, assess and then choose to speak with an end result in mind. Before speaking today, ask yourself, “Does that need to be said? Will it help the situation? Is it grounded in God’s Word?” If not, don’t speak. Choose to be quiet, speak only when you have something to say and people will listen.

Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash