Stop.
Listen for a moment.
What sounds do you hear?
If you're like me, in any average moment, there is some sound of entertainment or noise of distraction.
I find it difficult to work without some noise pelting my eardrums. Whether it's podcasts, YouTube, or music, my default is to put my earbuds in and zone-in to the noise.
Recently, as I have been seeking to develop a spiritual practice, I have been drawn to the idea of simply embracing silence.
And he said, "Go out tomorrow and stand on the mountain before the LORD." Look, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire passed; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
1 Kings 19:11-12 (NHEB)
God speaks in a still, soft whisper. If we want to hear Him, we must find time to cut out the distracting noise of this modern world.
Luckily enough, my work has recently been cracking down on a no earbud policy. It was definitely an adjustment at first, but I've found it to be quite a joy spending my day in (relative) silence.
Without a constant noise droning in my ear, I've been able to dip my toe into contemplative prayer.
Contemplative prayer, as a whole, is too vast for me to fully define or understand. In brief, contemplate prayers are short simple phrases that help focus one's mind on God and let the distractions of the world fade away.
I've begun with the 'Jesus Prayer'. It is a short prayer used as an attempt at 'ceaseless' praying.
It has a few different variations, but the one I have chosen to go with goes like:
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
have mercy on us.
This small prayer is a simple way to keep the mind focused on Christ while embracing silence and listening for God's still, small voice.
God Bless.