Outrunning the Quiet

2 I said about laughter, “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” Ecclesiastes 2:2

I rarely sit in a quiet space without background noise. Usually, it’s a podcast while driving or a Braves game running while I eat. None of that is inherently wrong, but I’ve had to ask myself why the silence feels uncomfortable.

In Ecclesiastes 2, the Teacher runs an experiment, throwing himself into pleasure to see if it can give his life meaning. He isn’t claiming pleasure is evil; Scripture is full of joy. He’s pointing out that entertainment simply can’t carry the weight of a soul. When we try to make it, we end up constantly refreshing feeds or leaving a game running just to keep the quiet out. By verse 11, he looks at everything he has accumulated and accomplished and realizes he’s been chasing the wind.

While the Teacher tested pleasure to find purpose, we often use it for cover. We aren’t always expecting noise to satisfy us. We’re just trying to outrun whatever surfaces when things go quiet, like grief or heavy questions.

You don't have to fear the quiet. When Jesus routinely withdrew to lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16), He wasn’t seeking an escape. He was drawing near to His Father. Because of the cross, you can step into the quiet without fear. You aren’t stepping into an interrogation; you’re stepping into a home.

Try turning off the background noise for ten minutes today. You don’t have to fix or resolve whatever thoughts pop up; just lay them before God. The quiet isn’t as empty as it feels.

Father, teach me to rest in the quiet. When the urge to fill the space rises, remind me that I am stepping into Your home, not an interrogation.