Quiet.
Very underrated in our busy, busy world. The world is just so loud these days.
Have you ever noticed when watching movies how the background is often louder than the dialogue? How you can hear the beat of songs but hardly comprehend the words? How every generation complains about how much louder the next one is?
I don't know if that last one is actually true, especially since 80's music could get painfully loud and some stuff today is rather mild... so let's set that one aside. ;)
Why is being quiet a virtue?
For starters, quiet allows rest. Peace has hardly been described with booming drums and humongous explosions... except on the Fourth of July. People sleep best when it is quiet.
Quiet also allows others to voice their opinions. It allows input from all. It is the gift of the pause.
Quiet allows lingering thought. In fact, silence allows people to ponder and to meditate. Quiet promotes thinking......
Oooooh. I like that part. Quiet allows people to think without interference from others. It also helps people find out what they personally believe. It creates the setting for introspection.
Quiet allows the "still small voice" to speak to our minds so that we can connect with God. I think this last one is incredibly pertinent. If you truly want a relationship with God, you need to practice listening in the quiet moments. He said in Psalms: "Be still and know that I am God."
The important things cannot be heard when things are loud.
Beyond the sweet, romantic story about angels, the point is that you miss things when you are loud.
Here are a few more sites about the benefits of silence.
The Huffington Post and the Benefits of Quiet
From Baby Proof Your Life
And this Self-Help Blog I ran across....
I noticed in one of the sites is how silence boosts creativity. Think about that. I've heard lots of writers talk about listening to certain kinds of music when they write, but I've heard more say it is better to write in silence, so that the other noises to not interfere with your thoughts. I've noticed this in myself. What goes on in the lyrics of songs I am listening to tend to come out in my writing. Silence works better, clearing the mind. It also allows your mind to work on its own, rather than being constantly bombarded by outside sources.
So, if you are having trouble, stress, and difficulty focusing - maybe all you need is a bit of quiet.
Why is quiet a Godlike trait? God, despite what many people believe, is not one to tromp around and declare himself in a booming voice. He does not use fan fare. And in the end, he only resorts to dramatic miracles in an emergency. The parting of the Red Sea was an extraordinary event - meant to be once in a millennia, if even that. Most of the time God moves quietly, behind the scenes, mostly unnoticed. This is why so many people miss proof of His existence. He is the very essence of quiet.
Jesus Christ himself, instead of arguing with those that opposed him and plotted to kill him, spoke quietly, and often refrained from speaking at all.
Q is for Quiet.
Jesus Christ himself, instead of arguing with those that opposed him and plotted to kill him, spoke quietly, and often refrained from speaking at all.
Q is for Quiet.
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