REV DAVID FAREY: It's important to make time for stillness

I know other people though who find it a total distraction and need quiet.

But even I really struggle in shops where there is a constant bombardment of music and noise.

It is often not the music I would choose to listen to and so I just find that it jars my nerves and I want to exit the shop as soon as possible!

It is one of those aspects to modern life where our senses can be assaulted from dawn to dusk with sound and pictures, be it radio, TV or music centres.

We are all different but something we all need as human beings is time when our brains can run in neutral in order to get back equilibrium.

It’s like a glass of water with sand in it.

When the glass is always on the go the water is always cloudy.

But let the glass be still and the sand settles to the bottom leaving the water clear.

It is when we find time to be still and let the cyclone of thoughts, images and sensory activity calm down that we can see more clearly the things that really matter.

We can hear the still small voice of our inner thoughts, or even hear God speaking to us!

There are some big decisions needing to be made in the coming months which shall require us all to vote on the future direction of our nation and communities.

It may be that some will decide which way to vote on the flip of a coin, but it would be better to consider the arguments and give a considered response.

For those of faith we turn to God and ask his direction and guidance, but like seeing a doctor, you don’t just walk in and pour out your ailments and walk out again.

You wait for the doctor to give his opinion on diagnosis and treatment.

So all of us need to pause and give time and space to hear either our deep inner thoughts or what God is telling us.

We can all find sanctuary in different ways.

I find my inner thoughts surfacing when I am running; others find it fishing or gardening, or simply in a quiet room.

Whatever is your ‘sanctuary’ make a decision to go there regularly and listen out for the still small voice.

If everyone did that I suspect that this world would be a different place and there would be much more agreement on things that really matter.