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Discovering Who You Are? - Start With Silence

SunJan222012 PostedSunday, January 22, 2012 @ 12 AMByChris GravesTaggedSelf Reflection Silence

I challenged the people of NewChurch take at least an hour of their time this week to seek silence with God. Those stories of seeking "who I am" in these moments of silence will be shared below. I hope you enjoy the stories of transformation being shared.

Thanks,
Chris Graves

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7 comments

On 1/23/02012 11:38 AM, Greg Darling said... For about the past 6-8 years I've been pursuing a relationship of just listening to God. I used to pray aloud in my car on the way to work but I realized that I easily fell into mindless repetition day after day and that allowing God to speak to me was much more effective.
There was once an interview of Mother Theresa by Dan Rather that went something like this: 'When you pray,' asked Dan, 'what do you say to God?' 'I don't say anything,' she replied. 'I listen.' Dan tried another tack. 'Well, okay...when God speaks to you, then, what does He say?' 'He doesn't say anything. He listens.' Dan looked bewildered. For an instant, he didn't know what to say. 'And if you don't understand that,' Mother Teresa added, 'I can't explain it to you.'
Mother Theresa also once said: "We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer."

On 1/23/02012 5:25 PM, Ronnie Stewart said... To make a short story long.....
Here's my "SHUT UP!" story... I tend to stress out about classes at UMHB. Just know that I'm pretty much the oldest student in most classes. One night in Anatomy class I was sitting scrunched in the desk taking notes for 1 1/2 hours. I was sitting in the middle of some attractive looking ladies feeling pretty sure of myself. When I stood up my leg was very much asleep and I fell on to one of the young ladies that was sitting behind me. (I wanted to die) (I dropped the class)
Next semester I was stressing out about Botany on my way home. I just knew I would end up dropping the class just like Anatomy. God told me to be quiet and know that He was the creator of every plant and that He would help me pass the class if I would just trust Him. I passed the class...

On 1/27/02012 9:46 AM, Trisha Cook said... I love music and often listen to it in the morning-while getting ready, throughout the day-at work, and in my car. I mostly listen to Christian music and it encourages me very much. I also think God speaks to me through music. However, I have very little to no silent time with Him. This week I have been challenged to not only be ok with, but to embrace silence. It has proven to be a challenge! As a counselor, I use "thought replacement" with my clients as well as in my own life. This strategy is used to "replace" negative "thoughts" with positive ones. I know this works, although it can be challenging. But trying not to have thoughts and just listen is something I struggle with. As I have been trying to do that this week, I realize why I am uncomfortable with it. Number 1, I am not that good at it. And number 2, empty space can be the Devil's playground it I let it.

Being still and listening to God is a work in progress for me. But He has shown me several things this week because of the effort that I have made. He has been very specific about a couple of situations that I have dealt with. I love how detailed He is! These are details that I would not have heard if I had not gone to Him in silence.

I am excited about this new challenge and plan on treading on to make this a more permanent part of my life!

On 1/27/02012 4:34 PM, marissa said... This has been a struggle for me for sometime, trying to find my identity as something other than just a mother. When you find yourself not recognizing or liking the person you have become, it might be that you have forgotten who you are? Who am I right now? I am a person who falls everyday, a person who can be incredibly selfish and childlike. I'm prideful and take on too much. I don't like to ask for help because I want to have it all together. I want to do it myself,damn it, because I want to feel like I am good at something. I'm proud.......too proud. Being proud makes me angry and stresses me out. Being proud has made me lose myself.
In the end I'm like most people, stilll working on who I am and who God wants me to be. My biggest struggle is how to live my life as the person God made me to be and not who I have been lately. Am I defined by the flaws I see? It is a part of me, yes, a part I'll always battle. It is not who I am completely. I've forgotten that I'm funny. I'm an outdoor girl and a serious music lover. Music and lyrics can touch my soul when nothing else can. I am loyal and someone that can be trusted and I am determined. I'm determined to put up boundaries and let down walls and stop letting my weaknesses overtake the strengths that God has given me. I know I'll have good times and hard times. That is when I have to be thankful for grace and the fact that God is not finished with me yet.

On 1/30/02012 10:51 AM, Nancy Stewart said... Silence. I find I am afraid of silence. Music, TV, anything but silence. Perhaps I am afraid to know what God really has to say to me. I am much older than most of my NC friends so I have been down many paths in this life. Some I am certain were chosen by me and others led by God. It is had been a difficult year for our family. We have experienced death of a family member, a life threatening disease in our child for which there is no cure and an unspeakable tragedy with another child. I have questioned God. I have not been able to pray at times because my heart is raw. So seeking silence is not something I wanted to do. A few mornings ago there I stood gazing at the painted sky and realized I was alone in His presence and there was silence. No fear. Just me and Him. I did not speak. He did not rebuke me as I had feared. Instead He held me. I am no longer afraid.

On 1/30/02012 12:46 PM, Anonymous said... The fact that I didn't have... or more appropriately, I didn't MAKE time for this this week speaks volumes. I did try once or twice, but found it hard because my own thoughts were getting in the way. I could blame the chaos in my life, or certainly come up with any number of other excuses, but I know better. I look inward to solve my problems and find my own 'self ', and even though I struggle to come up with any answers, it is still not easy to look outside myself for that. I desire to find a better way, but the bottom line is, I didn't make this a priority. Yet.

On 2/16/02012 6:56 PM, Rachel Elliott said... I do this regularly. But it's by default. It's not because I set time aside for it specifically. I workout by myself a lot so there is a lot of time in my head. Is this cheating? I try and use this time to pray because I'm bad at it any other time. I can find a million things to do, but sit down and read the Bible or pray. I don't know why, because when I do, I enjoy it! But this is about silence, so I digress...In my silent times, what I've found is that when I spend time with God and without interruption, I get bold. I think much bolder than I am at any other given moment. I feel like I can say or be what ever it is that I think God is moving me to say or do. I can stand up for what I think should be stood up for, I can say those things that I'm too terrified to reveal or expose about myself if it means helping others, I can be a better friend or wife or mother in the ways that are not easy for me. BUT, if I let too much time pass without spending time in this silence with Him, my excuses come. I forget that in my weakness, he is strong. So simple, just like the children's song. If too much time passes without my silence with Him, I become afraid and timid and unsure. The solution is obvious. Run more :)