God meets us in the silence

Amidst the craziness of everything, especially the senior year of seminary, it can be hard to find time for prayer and meditation. With approval panels, papers, first call forms, and everything else that happens, when do you slow down?

Fortunately, there are also options available here at the seminary to explore different spiritual disciplines. Spiritual direction and contemplative prayer are a couple of the options that I have been enjoying. As part of spiritual direction, we are reading Richard Foster's book, Celebration of Discipline. I just finished reading chapter 7, on the discipline of solitude. To hear God, sometimes we have to shut out the rest of the world, and just listen. It is not easy to do, especially finding the time, but it is worth it.

In group meetings, we use silence, a form of solitude, to gather our thoughts, to listen to the Holy Spirit, and to hear what God is telling us. While Monday has become a very long, full day, the last couple of hours of the day include a group spiritual direction session, followed by intercessory prayer. It makes for a full day, but in reality, these two hours are among the most relaxing of the week. Time spent in prayer and silence is refreshing, relaxing, and renewing.

The disciplines of silence and solitude, of time spent in intentional meditation, are ancient practices that are being recaptured by Christians. These disciplines are opportunities to find new ways of spending time in prayer and meditation, of allowing God to speak to us in a way that we might actually hear.

For me, this time has become something that I look forward to. Quiet contemplation, a quietly read Psalm, and community prayers help end my Monday. How do you find quiet time? When and where are you able to sit and listen to the Holy Spirit? If you answer no, might I suggest that you check out Foster's book, or find somewhere close by that offers contemplative prayer, or centering prayer, or another form of meditative prayer. One of these forms of prayer may be what you have been missing. Prayer, like other things in our lives, does not just happen - unless we are intentional about it. God meets me in the silence, and assures me that I am His. May He meet you there, also.