The Cure for The Busy Mind
By Charles Stanley
In her book Invitation to Silence and Solitude, Ruth Haley Barton writes, “We are starved for intimacy, to see and feel and know God in the very cells of our being. We are starved for rest … We are starved for quiet, to hear the sound of sheer silence that is the presence of God himself.” I felt this ache for God on a cellular level, just as Barton suggests, so I decided to follow her advice and focus on a daily practice of silence, contemplation, and stillness. It took some time to establish, but a year later, I’ve settled into a routine that quiets my mind.
Connecting with the Lord is a struggle, yet I desperately crave His presence.
First, I gather a few things in a small basket—my Bible, various journals, a small wooden cross, and whatever spiritual growth book I’m reading—and carry it to my back deck as the sun rises over our one great oak. Bird chatter often punctuates the silence, but otherwise, God and I are alone without interruption.
Holding the wooden cross in my hand as a physical reminder, I sit in silence for 10 minutes and allow myself to feel the Lord’s love. This small practice has honed my ability to sense and experience His presence. Centering my thoughts on God’s love every morning in silence is a rhythm I treasure and look forward to daily. Every morning, I arrive in prayer with the expectation that God will be there, and if my heart doubts and my mind forgets, I return to the truth I’ve written in my journal.
Silence is a spacious place where God is free to move—and I am free from my usual frenzy of overthinking, distraction, and activity. It’s taken a year for this to become a grounding and disciplined practice in my life, but I’ve learned silence is a spacious place where God is free to move—and I am free from my usual frenzy of overthinking, distraction, and activity. I can’t think my way into experiencing God’s love, peace, or presence. Turning off this part of my overactive brain for a few minutes every day has been a relief.
Great Words
Robbie