1. Making little or no noise: quiet neighbors; a quiet engine.
2. Free of loud noise; hushed: a quiet street.
3. Calm and unmoving; still: a quiet lake.
4. Free of turmoil and agitation; untroubled. See Synonyms at still1.
5. Restful; soothing: a quiet afternoon nap; a quiet tune on the flute.
6. Tranquil; serene: a quiet place in the country.
7. Not showy or garish; subdued: a room decorated in quiet colors.
8. Restrained in style; understated: a quiet strength; a quiet life.
I am suppose to be on voice rest for three hours a day due to vocal chord dysfunction from a viral illness I had three months ago.I can do vocal rest for two hours when my son takes a nap but he does not take a nap every day anymore. I am suppose to have an hour in the morning, hour in the afternoon and and hour at night. Last night, my voice was going completely and it was difficult to remain quiet. I desire to talk and share with my husband about church small groups. I wanted to share what I was learning. The more I tried to talk, the more pain I was in. My voice and body was exhausted trying to force my ability to talk.
A quiet life involves way more than keeping our mouth quiet but for me it has been the starting point of a quiet life. I am realizing I don't need to share every insight I have in the spoken word. Writing which is something I have always wanted to do helps me to be quiet. Without all the noise in my head and coming out of my mouth, there is a calmness when I don't struggle against the fact that I am losing my voice.
I am starting to see the new wave of being showy is on facebook. Many times, I am seeing we like to share everything we are doing. Sometimes it feels like bragging or gossip. I am learning to do more in "secret" when I do something to help another. God tells us to do our acts of service in secret.
Matthew 6:1-3 says:
1“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 - And that you study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
Proverbs 19:17 - Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.
Observations:
1. The Bible instructs us to work hard
2. We need to study(make it our ambition) to learn to (a) be quiet (b) do our own business and (c) work with our hands
3. Our reward is from God not people
Applications: We have to study and make it our ambition to lead a quiet life. For most of us, I don't think it comes naturally. Study means we put effort into it. We learn ways to be quiet. I do like facebook but I have noticed that it is good for pictures and updates to family and friends that we don't see often. It is good for quick prayer requests or to keep in touch with friends daily but should not supplement real contact. I like facebook for praying for others and encouraging others with something cute that my son said, a Bible verse or some other encouragement about putting our minds on things which are good, just, noble, right and pure.
In the quiet where I can't talk as much, I am learning that I don't need to have all the "answers" for all the suffering of the world. I am learning to bless and thank more. I am learning to listen to others and draw others out. I am learning to work with my hands more rather than think, think, think and talk, talk, talk. I a learning that I don't have the "spiritual gift of fixing everyone" and I am not responsible for everything and everyone. I am learning to mind my own business.
Prayer: Lord thank you for social network sites where we can meet Christians from around the world and do online studies. Thank you that we can send quick updates to family and friends in an instant. Lord, help me to use them wisely and still live a quiet life, do my own work and what you assigned me to do and not do my acts of caring for others before people. Let me continue to serve in secret knowing You see all. Let me knot get my identity in anything other than you. Thank you for guiding my family into our purpose: praising you, lifting you high and glorifying you.
