Quiet Places by Martin Wiles

When I walked in, I thought I had died and went to the wrong place: screaming and hollering, filth circulating in the air, some people running and others standing idle, stale air. I quickly became claustrophobic and wanted to escape.

My first encounter with the weave room in a textile mill wasn’t pleasant. Having done a short stent in another mill previously, I swore I’d never set foot in another. But I did. Hundreds of looms congregated, all shouting at the top of their lungs. I could hardly hear the person standing beside me who was trying her best to train me. Though I persevered for three long years, I never enjoyed a quiet moment.

Jesus had a difficult time finding quiet places too. Crowds thronged him, some out of curiosity and others because they wanted healing. Sometimes he had to leave the good things he was doing to rejuvenate. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31).

Our personal worlds are busy places. Community involvement, ball games, work, hobbies, family, yard work, housework, friends-it all crowds life making us want to run to quiet places where there’s no one but us and God. Places where we can be still and know he’s God. 

Quiet places help us maintain our sanity and focus and prevent our schedules from overwhelming us. In our quiet places, we can meditate on God’s Word, pray, think and pour our hearts out to a loving God who can revitalize our spirits. Have you visited a quiet place recently?

Prayer: God, keep us from the busyness that keeps us from You.
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