Cultivating The Quiet

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. Psalm 23:2

First Peter 3:4 explains that a gentle and quiet spirit is of great worth in God’s sight. With less and less “white space,” or margin, in our lives, it is hard to find a moment’s silence. A quieted heart is a receptive heart—so how can you find or create a quiet place?

Look along the path: Find a table in the corner of a quiet coffee shop, a comfy chair in a hotel lobby, or a bench in a park or by the water. There are quiet places all along our everyday path, but we fail to see them most days.

Look away from the crowd: Grab a backpack and head to the hills, to a lake, to the beach, or to a rooftop. Go away from the crowd—walk on a cloudy day, go to the zoo in the rain, or rise earlier than the norm.

Look in your home: What robs the quiet? Turn off the TV, the radio, and the stereo. Fold up the newspaper, and walk into your own backyard. Sit under a tree—or up in one. Hang a hammock or a front porch swing. Create a quiet place.

Look at your schedule: Is everyone always talking to you or talking at you? Is every waking moment full? Take an eraser, and remove 30 percent of your obligations for a week—you’ll find some quiet space.

Cultivate the quiet spirit in a quiet place.