3 min read
Silence and Surrender
As I look out my window at the wintery white scene, the still silence of the snow reminds me of the silence of 2020.
Isolated and alone, over 500,000 of our brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, have been silenced. And there is more silence to come. The magnitude and depth of this silence unlike the snow and ice which will soon thaw, will last for generations to come.
Like the bitter cold of an unfeeling wintery storm, this pandemic has left devastation in its wake. We have been forced to huddle in our homes and seek protection for what little comfort we can find.
Some have been brave, and courageously exposed themselves to danger, for the sake of others. Still others have managed to find laughter and joy amongst the depth of sorrow and despair.
We’ve Zoomed our way into each other’s homes and workplaces and discovered the common ground of everyday life. As we work and relate from home, children vie for attention, make messes, and say the darndest things! Our “furry friends” have been on display as well; as bushy tails and precious paws brush our keyboards, and strut across our screens.
We’ve shared our personal joys and sorrows and the joys and sorrows of our family and friends. We’ve wept and prayed together and learned that the connections we make with others, like the connection we make with God, is much more valuable than we ever imagined.
Though some of us long to return to the busy days of “doing” and feelings of control, I wonder if we can learn to surrender to just “being?”
Can we lay still in the green pastures God has provided for us and cherish the beauty that surrounds us every day? Can we spend time in the silence of our hearts and fully surrender to Christ and conform to His will?
The year of 2020 and now 2021, has been a historical year of silence, and surrender. And in that surrender and silence, I have found God’s hope, grace, and mercy, I have found love in connection to other’s and support in community. I have learned to fully embrace the truth that God is in control. He is the God over my life and of all creation.
Like the pure white crystal snow that covers the earth, God covers all creation in divine light.
This light, shelters and protects us from storms, leads us to green pastures, and restores our soul.
As we move forward in 2021, let us learn to take time and surrender to the silence of God’s will. Let us learn to connect to all of creation, through our being and not our doing.
Perhaps this moment in history was a time to reflect, rest, and renew. A time to prioritize our lives according to God’s will instead of our own. Perhaps this time of silence and surrender, was God’s way of showing us what is truly important. That home, hearth, family, friends, love and laughter are heavenly gifts to be cherished, not taken for granted. Perhaps the beauty and feeling of God’s love is not experienced by our noisy doing and need for control, but in the silence and surrender to His being and sovereign will.
I am happy to announce the new cover is now available in both print and e-book, on Amazon. I am also booking speaking engagements for 2021. If you have a club, or group of friends or church family that you would like to do a reading or Q&A, please contact me. I can do zoom or in person with proper protocol and social distancing. I love getting your feedback, cards, emails and texts, so please keep them coming!!
– Cathy Gregory
