Jewel Cannon
Student.Go participant and member
of CBF’s Pan African Koinonia, Georgia
One theme in my spiritual life that I am discovering and honoring is stillness. It is similar and synchronous with the themes of silence and darkness. Generally, when Christians feel like they are experiencing a season of darkness, silence and stillness, they may feel as if they are in the “wilderness” or “valley.” The wilderness is thought of to be scary, lonely and exhausting.
I am reminded of these biblical characters: Hagar, the Israelites, Elijah, David and Jesus. Each of these was led into the wilderness by God. Hagar was comforted by God and even named God in her situation. Elijah was comforted by God when he was in the cave feeling defeated. The bread was provided to the Israelites as they wandered around the desert. Jesus showed us how to pray and recount scripture when he was facing temptation by Satan in the wilderness.
All these narratives have a common theme and setting. In the wilderness, we learn to depend on God like Hagar did. We learn that God sees what we are going through. Hagar names God, El Roi, the God Who Sees. Elijah’s loneliness in his cave teaches us that while we are waiting and things seem still, to seek the still, small voice of God. King David who expressed many emotions in his Psalms teaches us that even though we walk in the valley of the shadow of death, we need not fear because the Divine is with us. In other psalms, David teaches us the importance of lament. Our laments are sacred and when we cry out, we get closer to the Lord. Finally, Jesus teaches us to remain in the word and keep scripture in our hearts, for even In the silence in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the silence of the wilderness before the angel shows up to Hagar, and in the silence of Elijah’s cave, God dwelled there.
In my spiritual life, through these characters, I am learning to appreciate silence, stillness and darkness. I am grateful that in these three things, God is present. That is comforting to me. While we wait in periods of silence, stillness and darkness, we listen for the still, small voice of God that eases our hearts and minds. The wilderness is not our final destination. We are only passing through. Silence and stillness are temporary. In conclusion, this quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. inspires me to be steady and unmovable: “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”