Theological thoughts about the workplace
“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
The last two weeks I have written about how I pray for Hoffer Plastics, and how Bible reading impacts my leadership. These “disciplines” are easy for someone with a Type A personality because both involve “doing.” Solitude, the last discipline I am going to discuss, is about “being.” It is one of those topics, like observing the Sabbath, that I know I should be implementing more, but
I often lack the intentionality to implement.
Unlike the previously discussed disciplines, the idea of solitude is something embraced by many people these days. Atheists, spiritualists, Eastern Religions, just to name a few groups, all embrace silence in the form of solitude or meditation. It is no wonder this idea is attractive given how fast-paced, “crazy busy”, and instantaneous this world is.
In January, my Executive Coach challenged me regarding silence. He had the guts to tell me that I was “soul sick,” that my “doing” was far outpacing my “being.” I could list all the books, podcasts, activities, (noise!) in my life, point to how constant they were, and yet couldn’t remember any time where I was still and silent.
It was humbling.
Since then, I have begun implementing silence into my life. To be sure, I haven’t gone on any retreats. I wish I could take a month-long sabbatical, but that isn’t realistic in the season of life (small kids), and leadership role I am in.
This reality used to make me feel like a victim. “See,” I thought, “these self-help book authors and pastors don’t get my season of life!”
This was intellectually lazy.
What I discovered was that I can implement silence into my life. Moments of silence lessen stress, quiet the noise inside my head, help me think through leadership dilemmas, and most importantly, reconnect me to God.
So, I invite you to create moments of silence into your life this week.
Notice, I am not giving you a formula to do this. The reason being that this isn’t about “doing.”
It is about “being.”
Give yourself the gift of momentary silence this week.