Noise.

Lately I've been having a few dorm related issues (stay with me here), mostly related to the level of noise that has existed consistently since we got back from break. Now most of the time, I like noise. Controlled noise. I like to have a fan on when I sleep, I like to have music or the tv on when I'm home or at the dorm room alone...I'm not usually a fan of complete silence or anything. But since we got back last Monday, the noise is at an alltime high somehow. There are girls talking at full volume in the hallway at night, running, & oh, the music. There is loud music, usually when I'm trying to study, read, or think in general. Not exactly something that's been that awesome. But besides being pretty annoying, it's got me thinking.

What sorts of things are covered up by the noise of the world in my life? Besides a little music or noise from a fan covering up the little sounds we might like to hear, too much distraction can also cover up the little whisperings. The Lord speaks in a still small voice. Are we making ourselves available to listen to it? Are we taking the time to really sit & focus on what it is He's trying to say to us? Because the noise around us is loud. In this age, we have every distraction imaginable. Even when we get "away", we're still surrounded by ways to stay just a little bit plugged in. But at what cost?

The Lord has amazing things planned for us if we'll attune ourselves to the desires of His heart, & His plan. So we need to make as much time as possible to listen & learn what that is.

When I'm spending time with someone, if they're distracted by other things around us, they can miss what I'm saying. & more than that, they can miss a relationship just by not focusing.

I don't want to miss the relationship. I don't want to miss knowing His heart & seeing the miracles He can do in the world by using me in my complete insignificance. I don't want to be so distracted that I stop noticing the beauty He has put into the world to draw me to Himself. I don't want to get to the end & realize that I couldn't hear His voice not only over the constant noise around me, but over my own voice; I don't want to realize that I held on to my desires & wishes as being more important.

If you had a friend or relative who you knew would bless you & make your life better if you made it a priority to build that relationship, you would certainly work on that, wouldn't you? Well, God controls everything. And He wants to bless us because of His great love. What if we miss out on knowing Him, & knowing all that He wants to give us & do through us, because of simple distractions & noise that we let drown out His voice? What a tragedy that would be.

Let's turn it all off. Let's just spend some time in His presence. Soak it all in. There is such peace in knowing Him, & there is such joy in doing His will. Not only because of what we get out of it, but that we get to play a part in making His name famous, which is what our existence is all about, after all.