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archive: november 2011
stop and listen
by nathalie saunders
There are over 600 million members on Facebook, over 200 million members on Twitter and Over 100 million iPhones have been sold. Put the three together and you get constant access to everything, almost everywhere.
There’s a huge market for accessibility to the internet and people, it seems like we need to be constantly plugged in.
Apparently young people tend to be the worst offenders. How often have you heard ‘put your phone away’ or ‘get off your phone’ from parents or teachers?
I count as one of those young people and I have a confession to make; I’m addicted to my iPhone. I use it 24/7, it’s the first thing I see when I wake up –thanks to the alarm app- and the last thing I see when I go to sleep. I’m used to being glued to it, and being able to access my email, texts, Facebook and Twitter whenever I want.
But what happens when you turn off your phone and don’t use it for the whole day? You get peace and quiet. As a 17 year old girl, I’m not the likely advocate for turning off your phone, and I very rarely do it, but sometimes switching off and getting away from technology is the best thing to do. Sometimes you need a day, where there isn’t the constant ‘ping’ of text messages and the constant distraction of Facebook!
Okay… so what does my addiction to my iPhone have to do with God? Well… How often do you take away the distractions of life and spend time with Jesus? How often do you switch off your iPhones, log off the lap top, turn off the TV and music to purely focus on Him?
Life can get pretty busy. School/college, Church, family, friends, homework/coursework, hobbies, pets, musical instruments… The list is endless! And because of this busyness and stress, the need to take time out is crucial.
I used to be awful at giving God any space. I was always the person who wanted to stop praying and start singing. My worship was vocal and loud. It was all about me saying something to God.
But now, I have this yearning for space in my worship, for times of quiet when I don’t say anything at all. God can speak to us in so many different ways, he has no restrictions. But often we put restrictions on ourselves, and though songs, prayers and words are good things they can sometimes get in the way of our ability to hear what He is saying. Sometimes it’s us who need the space to listen, so our hearts and minds can finally tune into God and hear him.
But now, I have this yearning for space in my worship, for times of quiet when I don’t say anything at all... Sometimes it’s us who need the space to listen, so our hearts and minds can finally tune into God and hear him.
There’s a song called ‘Stop & Listen’ by Bethany Dillon. These are some of the lyrics:
I wake up
Start the rush and pour some coffee
Things to do pile up
Oh so quickly
Too many days I feel like
I run on empty
Does anyone else out there feel like me?
But I’d be a fool to forfeit,
The chance to take a moment...
For You to rise like the dawn,
Over my cold, tired heart.
What I thought I had lost,
Finds me when I stop.
Stop and listen…
What I love about this song is the honesty in it. She’s up front about what she struggles with, and she isn’t alone! How often do you run on empty? Or just have so much to do that you forget how to slow down?
When I first heard this song, the line that stuck out the most was ‘But I’d be a fool to forfeit. The chance to take a moment’.We'd be stupid,to not take time out, especially for God, but more often than not God is more of an afterthought in our day.
But when we stop and commit time to God, He can rise like the dawn over our tired hearts. The closeness and focus we can often lose in the busyness of life can be found in the quiet.
However, it’s not easy.
I’m awful at stopping, and I suck at listening, but the more I hunger for time with God, the better I become. To be honest I think it's all about perseverance. I find that whenever I spend time waiting on God, whether that be by myself or with my youth group, my mind wanders and I fidget. I get so restless. But if you're like me, don't panic. It’s normal. Most people get like that. Silence is often uncomfortable, and as humans, we are not used to it! Just look at the phrase ‘awkward silence!’ Yet, stick with it, the silence is where you can hear the whisper.
‘the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.’
1 Kings 19:11-12 (NLT)
about the writer
Nathalie is from Godalming, is currently doing her A-levels and loves singing, worshipping, watching movies and reading.
Soul Survivor is a Christian charity that puts on events for young people. Our registered charity no. is 1080720. We are also a company limited by guarantee in England & Wales. Our company registered number is 03991111, which is nice. Thanks for caring.
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