Sunday afternoon, Lee and I had the privilege of going to our grandson’s 7th birthday party at Dave and Busters. If you have never been to Dave and Busters, it is truly an experience. One side of the room is a restaurant with big tv’s EVERYWHERE and the other side has every type of arcade game ever made. There are hundreds of games, and those hundreds of games all come with their own realistic loud sounds. On top of that, you have children and adults of all ages playing these games, laughing, screaming, and having a good time. Since it was Sunday afternoon, NFL games were on every tv and the volume for one of them was SO loud. Add it all together and you have chaos. It was fun… for a few minutes. I felt overwhelmed. The noise pressed in from all sides until I could hardly think straight. I found myself craving a moment of quiet, just a few seconds where I could breathe and let my mind settle.
As I stood there, it struck me that life can feel a lot like that arcade. There’s always something vying for our attention; emails pinging, phones buzzing, headlines flashing, people talking, responsibilities piling up. The world hums with constant motion and noise, and if we aren’t careful, it can drown out the still, small voice of God.
Jesus often withdrew to quiet places to pray. Even the psalmist, surrounded by chaos, wrote, “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Stillness doesn’t always mean silence around us. It means quiet within us. It’s the choice to pause, to breathe, to listen for God’s presence amid the noise. When life feels like a never-ending arcade, we can step back, even for a few moments, and say, “Lord, quiet my heart so I can hear You.”
So today, whether your world sounds like an arcade, a classroom, an office, or a crowded home, pause. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Let the noise fade into the background and listen for the whisper of peace that comes from the One who calms storms,not only in the world, but within our souls.
Shine, Shine, Shine!