Quietness & Stillness

"In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength..." (30:15)

"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever...And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places." (32:17,18)

What is "quietness"? What did the apostle mean when he exhorted Christians to "study to be quiet"? (I Thess. 4:11) What does it mean to live a "quiet and peaceable life"? (I Timothy 2:2)

Oftentimes "noise" is associated with "trouble." There are various kinds of "noises" referred to in the scriptures. There is the "noise of weeping" (Ezra 3: 13). "Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise" (Psalm 55: 2). Isaiah speaks of the "tumultuous noise" (13: 4) and prophesies - "Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire." (29: 6) The weeping prophet cried - "My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me..." (Jeremiah 4: 19) The "noisy life" is generally associated with a troubled life, one full of agitation and woe. It is part of the "hectic life."

So, the Lord exhorts men to "Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted..." (Isaiah 7:4) He can take away the noise of strife and replace it with a quiet calmness, free of noisy troubles. "When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?" (Job 34: 29)

"He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven." (Psalm 107: 29,30)

What a precious promise! The troubled heart that is full of agitation and inner noises he can quiet and still! Praise his name! Oh how precious is this gift of quietness!

"Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife." (Proverbs 17:1)

"Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 4: 6)

The wicked Sophist, Tertullus, when addressing a wicked earthly king, and seeking to flatter him, said "Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness..." (Acts 24:2) Yet, it was not true that such quietness and peace were the gifts of an earthly king, as the Sophist stated. Rather, if any enjoy "great quietness," it is because God has given it.

Christians must work to live a "quiet life."

"...we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." (II Thess. 3:12)

"...that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." (I Tim. 2:2)

Besides having a quiet outer life, in our external environment, we should seek to have "...the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit..." (I Peter 3:4)

Is your heart full of the noise of trouble and inner conflict? Does your soul long for inner and outward peace and quietness? Then heed not only the above words of scripture, but these too:

"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46: 9)

We do wrong when we attempt to be our own saviors, when we move in all kinds of false ways, and when we think that the more noise we make about our sufferings, then the more pity and help we will expect. This is wrong, however. The message to such souls is - "Their strength is to sit still." (Isa. 30: 7)