Emily Howard, Writer

It is no wonder we don’t hear God’s voice.

Between television, facebook, email, work, kids, sports, video games,

Movies, twitter, pinterest, youtube, shopping….

I could go on, but you get the picture.

Has any generation lived as distractedly as we do? As I am typing this my son is watching cartoons and I am trying to ignore them as well as the email and facebook alerts that continually pop up on my computer. It is no wonder we don’t hear God’s voice.

I try to give up something for Lent each year (for those of you not familiar with this practice, you can find a great explanation here). Growing up it was just something we did and talked about at church (how hard it was to not eat chocolate for 40 days)! But the older I get the more I come to appreciate the value of fasting from the things that distract us from the Lord. This year, as well as the year before, I have chosen to give up “playing on my phone”.

Now, each person’s distractions are as different as their personalities, so let me explain mine a little. This is true confessions time, so don’t judge. I have an addictive personality. At this phase in my life the addiction I have the most trouble with is facebook. In the past, the best way for me to stop something destructive is to totally quit it, cold turkey. No “slowly cutting down” for me. It’s got to be totally gone or it creeps back in.

Therein lies my facebook problem. I have tried totally cutting it out, but I just can’t. Not only is it my main line of communication with my far-off family and friends, posting on social media is a part of my job. So, I can’t quit it. But it is SO HARD to not just grab my phone in moments of boredom and scroll, scroll, scroll through (mostly) meaningless stuff. I’m bored (refresh). Got to do something with my hands (check for likes and comments). I don’t want to enter into awkward conversation so I’ll act busy (scroll, scroll).

So my temporary solution for this Lenten season is to only use my phone for text, calls, directions, email, and weather. And maybe the occasional google search, if the information is really important, like how many movies Samuel L. Jackson has been in or if Pluto is a planet this week. If I need (want) to check facebook, it is on my laptop only and for a short period of time only.

Y’all, it helps so much. I already have noticed that I am calmer, I have been exercising more and reading my Bible more. I am constantly looking for more constructive ways to use my time. Sometimes I am bored or awkward, yes, but this is actually a really good thing. It helps me to better hear God’s voice.

What is distracting you today? It is different for everyone. Don’t be ashamed of it, just identify it, confront it, and do your best to find ways to focus on God.

The phrase “be still” is all over the Bible. God knows our human tendency to go, to do, to work, to worry, to strive, to struggle.

If you find yourself hectic and distracted, make it a priority to be still. Find a quiet place (I give you permission—it can be the bathroom. If you have kids and pets, I get it. Sometimes it’s the only option. God will understand). Close your eyes. Say a quick, simple prayer and then listen. You may not hear anything right away, but be patient. If nothing else you will be rewarded with a few minutes of blessed silence.

Leave room in your day for the Lord to work. Don’t fill yourself so full of distractions that you make it impossible to hear what He would speak to your spirit.

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Meditate on these verses in the quiet. Let your spirit be calmed and filled.

Zechariah 2:13: “Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”

Psalm 46:10-1: “Be still, and know that I am God!”

Exodus 14:14: “The LORD will fight for you while you keep still.”

Habakkuk 2:20: “The LORD is in his holy Temple. All the earth—be quiet in his presence.”

Mark 4:39-4:1 “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’”

Psalm 107:28-29: Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.

1 Samuel 12:16: “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!”

Exodus 14:13: “But Moses told the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.’”

Luke 10:38-42: “Now as they were traveling along, Jesus went into a village. A woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and kept listening to what he was saying. But Martha was worrying about all the things she had to do, so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, you do care that my sister has left me to do the work all by myself, don’t you? Then tell her to help me.’ The Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha! You worry and fuss about a lot of things. But there’s only one thing you need. Mary has chosen what is better, and it is not to be taken away from her.’”