By Lois Hewitt

The other day I sat at work and just stopped for a moment. I sat in my cubicle and listened to all the noises. I heard music, talking, phones ringing, doors shutting, keyboards clicking, and the ever present, constant roar of traffic on the road outside the building. 

Many of my co-workers try to escape the neverending barrage of noise by putting in ear buds, for me that only replaces the noise and does not calm me. It made me think how noisy our world is today. Radios and TVs on constantly.  Horns blaring and engines revving usually in impatience.  It is hard to escape. 

I was wondering if that is why so many souls can’t find rest, mine included. I would think that our brains need to process all the noises so it can look for impending dangers.  That means our brains don’t ever turn off and we are always on alert.

It’s no wonder joy is lost, peace is frequently absent, and our stress hormones never rest.  Could the noise be a root cause for much of the anxiety in the world today?  As an introvert, I know noises can affect me in so many ways. All the noise makes my mind wander and creates mental clutter.  This detracts us from the peace we so desperately need to thrive. 

It’s no wonder God calls us to go into our rooms and close the door so we can pray in silence.  For it is in silence you are able to concentrate, breathe, relax and think.  Silence is necessary for prayer and necessary for our sanity. 

Obviously we cannot quiet the outside world, but we do have some control of what we listen to and what we watch.  I am going to be more aware of how the world’s noises affect me and try to counter it with prayerful silence.  I hope today you have a respite from the constant noise meant to keep you off balance. I hope today the silence renews your heart and fills your soul with peace.