How to Leave the Noise and Listen to God
A question that I frequently get asked is how I use my iPhone without my sight.
Thanks to Voice Over, the screen reader software on Apple devices, I can listen to a friendly electronic voice telling me what is on the screen. Using this feature with certain gestures on the touch screen, I can text, scroll through Facebook, send emails, and use my phone in much of the same way as a sighted person.
While I am very thankful for this technology, sometimes I simply crave silence.
I realized that I had spent the twenty years of my sighted life taking the ability to sit in the quiet and read a book for granted.
This is part of the reason why I spent about a year and a half learning Braille.
Braille books, however, are very large and cumbersome. In fact, a single novel may consist of several volumes due to the size and thickness of the Braille paper.
The Bible in Braille, for example, would probably take up a whole room in my house!
Sara Claudia typing on her braille note taker.
Recently, I received a braille device which allows me to download electronic braille books.
It has made reading a more convenient and less heavy endeavor for me!
I downloaded the Bible and for the first time since losing my sight, I can read scripture in peace and quiet instead of through an electronic voice.
In our busy lives, it is so hard to find time for stillness.
The constant hustle and noise can be a distraction from God, His guidance, and His comfort.
In Exodus 14, Moses is leading the people of Israel away from the Egyptians. With the powerful army on their heels, the Israelites learned an important lesson about being still and trusting God.
“They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in taking us out of Egypt? Is this not what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” (Exodus 14:11-12 ESV)
A woman holding the Bible between her hands.
Many of us today become so distracted by the noise of our lives that we forget to spend time listening for God’s guidance during the rare silence.
In a similar way, the Israelites became so distracted by their fear and uncertainty that they forgot to trust the Lord as their protector and guide through Moses.
“And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:13-14 ESV)
When I sit and read scripture early in the morning with only the sound of the birds chirping in the background, I can better discern God’s voice and connect with Him in a more intimate way. These rare few minutes of solitude help me to remember God’s faithfulness and presence.
How are you finding time to quiet your mind, surroundings, and worries so that the Lord can fight for you today?
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