Mark 1:35-39 ESV And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
Silence and study purge the soul. It allows God to do what only he can do when we are powerless; he restores our soul. When the waves of the world have come in and infiltrated our souls and taken away our peace until we have lost all hope, we must, like Jesus, retreat into the comforting, loving embrace of the Father’s arms. We can see why the world spends so much time trying to get everyone so busy, distracted, and restless. Because in the chaos and confusion, they are unable to examine their hearts and give God the necessary space and time to do the required heart surgery needed to make us whole. This was very much the same with Jesus in the bible. He would leave the crowd and go to a quiet place to be alone with God.
This is the only way to keep one’s heart and soul alive in the things of God; frequently, there’s a need to retreat from people, even the people we love and hold dear. To pause to have a moment of unbroken silence to be brought by the still waters of God’s presence so that He can wash, cleanse and make whole all that has been fragmented along the way. So that he can have the time to mend the broken areas of our spiritual lives that have been wounded by the busyness and the cares of the world. In the quiet, in the stillness, in the weight of God’s presence, there is a sound, the eternal sound of the splendour of God that rests upon us and engulfs us in the cloud of the beauty of our God.
Studying in silence allows us to steady our hearts and minds from the world’s distractions that attempt to steal the inner rest that comes from setting our hearts and minds on God. It allows us to just set our focus on the things of God in the sweet, silent fellowship that becomes a source of strength and life in a busy age. The word of God also has cleansing properties and searches our hearts and motives, and like a car satnav allows us to recalculate our direction when we have been blown in the wrong direction by the waves of this world. Sometimes when the storms of life attempt to blow you over, we are tempted to rush and continue doing what we have always done this often causes us much confusion and distress; instead we need to be still and know.
Being still allows us to encounter the rest and peace of God that surpasses all understanding. We have to remember that tending our soul requires that at times though there are many voices and many demands, even worthy demands of those in need. Just like Jesus, when everyone is looking for you, you have to find that still quiet untouched space to be still and be alone with God.
Lord teach me to me still, to rest in the nothingness of silence so that I can be made whole. Lead me beside still waters and restore my soul. Take a few minutes to pause to be still as you silently reflect and rest in God.
Much Love in Christ,
Your Sister,
Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness
Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach