You ever wonder why great ideas seem to hit you while taking a shower? It’s because it’s one of the few remaining places where God can reach you and you’re not distracted with the background noise of today’s world.
Let’s face it. One hundred years ago, it was probably so much easier for a Christian visual artist to hear the leading of the Holy Spirit because they weren’t distracted by:
- Hundreds of cable/satellite TV channels.
- 24 hour TV networks.
- 24 hour radio.
- Millions of websites on the Internet.
- Phone calls that can reach you no matter where you are.
- Business email messages.
- Personal email messages
Today’s world is filled with so much noise that it’s harder than ever to get time away to be able to hear the still, small voice of the Spirit of God. I’ve even caught myself turning on the TV just because I’m more used to the background noise than I am the sound of silence.
To break this habit, I dare you to take the 15 Minute Silence Challenge:
- Take the next household duty that you’d normally do while the TV is playing or while the radio is on, etc. Conduct that duty without the background noise by refraining from turning those things on.
- Continue the task, be it ironing, making your bed, etc. for at least 15 minutes. Don’t answer your cell phone or even look at it! Instead, use this time to do the chore while listening for and remaining open to the voice of God in the form of an idea or thought. It sounds too simple, but somehow you’ll be able to tell the difference between your thoughts and God speaking to your spirit! The lack of the background clamor sets the stage for it to happen.
- Take it up from 15 minutes to 30 minutes at your own pace. The key is to get used to the silence, peace and clarity that it ushers in. If you’re always on the go and taking in noise from sunrise to sunset, it can for a moment feel like a strange process.
Artists are communicators, and a Christian artist or designer can be the mouthpiece of God. But the mouthpiece of God must be able to hear the mind of God in order to effectively carry out His plan for your creativity.
What do you think about the The 15 Minute Silent Challenge? Post your thoughts below:
I seldom have music or TV on or even the volume on the computer turned on. So silence for 15 minutes as you describe probably isn’t going to do it for me. However, I agree with the thought behind your post. Maybe I need to reverse it just a tad. About the only time I listen to music is when I paint. And then it is gospel music which inspires me. Nevertheless, my biggest distraction is the computer. I need it for my writing, yet I allow it to throw me off course far too frequently. As I said I can take your advice and alter it to my needs…say 15 minutes less FaceBook time and build up to 30 minutes a day for just God and me. Thanks for the idea.
See you in a twinkling,
Thank you for your feedback Brenda!
The link mentioned in my previous comment didn’t go through. Here is the link:
http://notesfromthefortressofsolitude.blogspot.com/2009_06_14_archive.html
Tony, thank you so much for drawing attention to this valuable discipline. I have a slight difference in opinion about the 100 years ago statement. If you lived 100 years ago, you would not have been desensitized by today’s flurry of distraction, so that ANY distraction would be just as hard to battle back then (or in any given time period, for that matter). It really has no relevance to the things around you, the distractors will hit even when you are in solitude. Have you ever gone to a retreat without computer, phone, or any connection to the world, with full intent to connect to God, only to find the distractions still remain?
There is a theme that has been tackled by many of history’s master painters. Grunewald painted “The Temptation Of Saint Anthony” (go to the link to read my article). The painting depicts Anthony’s distraction demons, hard at working to prevent Anthony from keeping his focus on God. While it is so true that our society is so structured to make it easy to slip into a pacified, zombie state, The tormentors will follow you even when you swallow the pill and get ejected from the matrix, … and even when you move to a desert to get away from the world’s hustle bustle.
Once again, it’s so good to see this article topic on your site. Not everyone will want to access God through the disciplines. When I first heard about the spiritual disciplines, I wanted to run the other way. God didn’t give up on me. He softened me. And then there were those times when I entered in for all the wrong reasons (ie. to change another person). God still didn’t give up on me. He continued His softening, quietly bringing to focus His reason for bringing me into it.
Fifteen minutes for some people is a long time. But God loves any time set apart for Him. I encourage everyone to take on Tony Snipe’s dare. I’ll go a step further. Even if you don’t see results, keep at it until you do. It has worked for so many saints in the past and it will work for you.
Good Good stuff.
Thanks, Lynn!
I agree so much about numerous distractions that by way of :world,flesh & DEVIL, are all working for purpose of distracting “us” from fully giving every free minute we have to pray & bless our Lord; King, Creator , the “architect of the ages”-also, drugs=(called ‘recreational’, or otherwise)
: the stuff the young ppl. call “music”:& as was mentioned; Internet,FaceBook,cell phones,I pads, I phones,…cars,gorgeous woman-(SEX, a VERY POWERFUL “tool” used by the powers& principalities of this age)lottery..etc , are ALL tools used.. to subdue;by the ENEMIES OF OUR LORD,Jesus Christ *
Devin: Thanks, but it’s not me.
techne:Thanks for chimimg in, t.
By the way, good hearing from you! It’s been a while.
tony,
you probably knew this was coming, but, while i do agree with the spirit of this post, i don’t agree that “one hundred years ago, it was probably so much easier for a Christian visual artist to hear the leading of the Holy Spirit because they weren’t distracted” [by your litany of distractions]. there have always been distractions (the pride of life, lust of the eyes and the various demands of the flesh). it’s never been difficult to be busy. that said, silence is an important practise, not least because when it is silent around us, we are able to have silence within us. of course, even if it is busy around us, we should be able to walk in God’s peace and hear from God. it’s that whole being ready in and out of season. we should be able to hear his voice, even in a crowd. still, it’s a good and fruitful discipline. i guess there’s a reason a lot of monks do it, and there are silent retreats available in many places.
one more quick note – another reason we think of things during the shower (or whatever) is because our mind has no specific focus and so is able to make tangential connections without interference – that is what makes possible those new ideas and connections.
Brilliant.