Silence is golden—except on an elevator.
There must be an unwritten rule somewhere that prohibits talking in elevators. An uneasy, awkward silence laughs its haunting cry as each rider stares straight ahead at his or her reflection in the elevator doors or as they absentmindedly gaze at the floor. There is also the silly dance where each person nervously shifts from one foot to the other.
Aside from the awkward elevator rides, silence can be a beautiful thing. It can be restorative—a time of quiet introspection to meditate on God’s Word, gather our thoughts, or refresh our minds. Such silence can bring God’s peace as He promises us His perfect peace if our minds remain on Him.
But silence can also be a spiritual battlefield. When we quiet ourselves from the distractions of our daily routine and responsibilities, instead of a quiet moment of peace, the mind can be a place of intense scrutiny and torment. Regrets, reliving past failures, remembering past hurts, accusing voices, and mind games can all clamor for our attention. Satan usually assails our quiet times, thinking his voice is then the loudest.
Part of God’s righteousness is His peace. The effect of His peace is quietness and confidence forever. When we shelter ourselves in His righteousness, we have peace with God. Everyone makes mistakes, experiences failure, or lapses in moral judgment. This is why true peace does not come from our righteousness. It comes from the righteousness of God, appropriated through Jesus Christ.
As we remind ourselves that Christ’s righteousness lets us stand in His presence, we are comforted with His peace. When the past rears its ugly head or regrets yell their nasty reminders, quiet them with His forgiveness and righteousness.
Rest your mind in God’s righteousness today. Allow His quietness and confidence to renew your mind. Let His Spirit whisper softly to your heart as He calms, comforts, and transforms you.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
A lifelong student of Scripture, Nate Stevens has also enjoyed a forty-year banking career in a variety of leadership roles. He is the author of: Matched 4 Life (book and workbook), Deck Time with Jesus, Transformed: Until Christ is Formed in You, Conformed: Into the Likeness of Christ, Informed: Living by God’s Absolute Truth, and God’s Secret Place. He is also a contributing author on several of the Moments Books series (Billy Graham Moments, Romantic Moments, Divine Moments, Spoken Moments, Christmas Moments, Stupid Moments, and Broken Moments). He writes online articles for ChristianDevotions.us and KingdomWinds.com, as well as several other ministries. Additionally, he co-founded and leads Fusion, a Christian singles ministry. A popular speaker and teacher at conferences, seminars, and Bible study groups, he speaks on a wide variety of topics. Nate has two adult children. He and his wife, Karen, live near Charlotte, North Carolina. Follow Nate and find more resources at: www.natestevens.net