“Lord, there’s so much noise in my world.

Inner noisiness has kept me distracted from spending quality time with You.

How I want to spend quality time alone with You,

Not in some lonely isolated place,

But quietness in and through the busy day of activities.

I need to shut down the inner noise that keeps my soul busy,

I need to silence those many voices that keep my mind busy.

I know it is possible to be in the crowd but not with the crowd.

I know it’s possible to have a full day of busy schedules,

And yet enjoy inner tranquility and rest.

My problem has never been the crowd outside,

My problem has been me.

I am my greatest noise maker.

I am too quick to distract myself,

Even when there was no need for distraction.

“Lord, deliver me from the unnecessary agitations in my soul,

Irrelevant fussing that keeps driving me away from inner solitude.

If I keep failing in this soul-seclusion,

Then there is no hope for me to grow in the discipline of hearing and walking with God.

Then the result will be a parched and dry life that has no impact on man or relevance to God,

Busy for himself and busy for nothing.

Deliver me from such a tragedy.

And start by increasing in me the grace to shut down on the inside,

While being gainfully engaged with the businesses of each day;

To learn to shut down from the noises within and without,

So that I can enjoy deeper spiritual interaction with my Beloved.

Do this for me my Lord,

In Jesus’ name. Amen.”