The Silence in a Storm

A beautiful meditation from guest blogger, Karol Bartlett. Take a moment of quiet and then read on …

Silence is a place where I go to when I need to still myself. If I can get to that stillness point, it will be quiet there, and whatever has been churning about in my head will stop. It’s a place I go to that helps me let go, and let God.

Sometimes though, I don’t take the time for silence and an inner storm often develops.The storm comes when I get stressed, and busy, and try to handle everything and everyone that comes along. It comes from all the little things that build up that I have internalized or decided not to or can’t deal with, but probably need to. Becoming engulfed in this storm makes me edgy and reactive to everyone and everything around me.

For me, that kind of storm causes a torrential rain where distance grows and becomes a forest of tangles. It’s within the process of trying to find my way through those tangles that I become exhausted, and stop trying to find my way out because I’ve finally realized I am lost.

I stop. And in that moment I can hear my heart, and the steady, fast rhythm of its beating. It helps to still my whole being into silence.

I feel God’s presence inside me.
I feel God’s slowing of my racing heart.
I feel God calming my each breath.

The rain has stopped.
The tangles have disappeared.
God is with me.
God is with me.
Let go, let God.
Let go, let God.

It is quiet now. I open my eyes and the way has been made clear for me.

Sometimes hearing and trusting that God is with you, means you have to get through the silence of a storm.

How does God talk to you? What keeps you from listening to God? Does your “seven day outlook” include some time to be silent?