Emerald has started a new stalling technique at bedtime. After I put her in bed, she starts calling out all kinds of requests, asking me to get her a drink, to “fix” her blanket, and so on. I generally go in there twice to try and resolve her issues, each time telling her that she needs to be quiet because the kids are trying to sleep.
She whispers that she will be quiet now, and when I tell her I love her, she says, “I lub bofe of dem,” which I think is supposed to mean that she loves both Chad and me.
Once she is fairly sure that I’m not coming back into the room, she’ll start yelling, “I be quiet now!” And, Chad and I just look at each other and shake our heads. There is just something cute about her loudly informing us that she is going to try to be quiet.
Tonight when this happened I thought about how often I am the same way with God. I have no trouble at all coming up with requests for Him. And, even when I know I need to be quiet and just listen to what the Holy Spirit would guide me to do and be, I still find myself making a racket that makes it impossible to listen. I may as well be a toddler who’s hollering, “Ok, God, I be quiet now!”
I want to learn to be still, to really be quiet instead of just talking about how I need to be quiet. Who knows what He has said while I have been enthralled by the sound of my own voice?
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 1 Kings 19:11-12
Anxious most of the night after an unpleasant talk with my teenage son. Thanks for reminding me I don’t have to plead with God or rant on and on with affirmations that just feel like ritual…God knows my heart and knows my children. He is in control, calmly.
Thank you, Lisanne! I said a prayer for you and your son.
we’re getting ready to put our house on the market- so much clutter, memories (13 years worth), kids are gone. I need to be quiet too, and I know that I make Him sad when I keep boring a hole in some particular selfish request.
Martha, blessings on your move! And prayers for more quiet. 🙂
How is it that when I was younger and more emotional I could lie still and just listen? Okay, perhaps I’m still just as emotional, but what about growing up and getting busier has made it harder to stop my own thought process and be quiet?
(Just started following your blog last week!)
Carissa, I’m so glad you’re here! I agree–when I was a teenager it was much easier for me to stop and listen.