Lost in Silence; Found in Solitude

If there’s one thing I know about the quiet, it makes even the smallest noise seem loud. Silence heightens our senses. It leaves us to face the noise we have within. When we strip ourselves of all the attention-seeking, people-pleasing, mask-wearing, and un-relentless striving, we are left bare. Some of us don’t know how to accept ourselves in this state. Some of us have never had to come face to face with ourselves. We’ve learned to drown out the voices in our head with screens, addictions, and superficial relationships. They can only get us so far.

This quarantine has been tough- harder for some than others. However, it’s not the end, and there is hope. Many times in my life, I’ve had to accept the silence and have come to embrace it. It’s when I’ve been able to get alone and be inspired to do some of my most creative work. It’s where I’ve found the God who isn’t always in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but seeks to speak in a still, small voice that we often cannot hear above our noisy lives. As these days leave us to ourselves, I hope we can turn to the One who beckons us to find peace in knowing He will never leave us nor forsake us. If you’re feeling lost these days, please turn to the One who knows where we started and where we’re headed and seeks to lead the way into His glorious hope. May this silence draw us into His outstretched arms and help us find an unshakeable identity in Him. While we may feel lost in silence, we can be found in solitude.

IDENTITY

Lost behind a wardrobe of faces A new mask for each setting If none seem to fit quite right Is there one that I'm forgetting?

When the crowds change with the seasons And society determines who's to fit in Who do I run to when I'm all alone And I don't know the One within?

When I'm feeling empty, And loneliness screams louder than the music I blare When my heart is bleeding and my soul is dying, Where do I place my fear?

When my hunger is insatiable Always left incomplete Do I ever really conquer When left feeling utter defeat?

If I do the things I don't want to And don't do the things I do Is who I am determined by unfulfilled intentions Or unintended impromptu?

If I don't know who I am Who should I portray? When I'm lost behind a joyful face Does that mean I am okay?

If I'm just a character in a story And I don't seem to fit the scene Am I playing the wrong role? Or am I meant to be drama queen?

If who I am is what you see And all the sudden I change Is who I am what you saw before? Or who I was, re-arranged?

If I can display who you are But have trouble being me Am I who I play best? Or do I have a lost identity?

And if all You are, Is who I wish to be Is who I am what I display now Or what I'd like to see?

It seems that I feel more alive When I display You And when I die and let You live I am made anew

So forget about who I am See who I'm trying to be Because who You are Is meant to be My identity