PROPHETIC WORD: The Power of a Quiet Life
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands…”
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
God wants us to remember there is power in living a quiet and peaceful life.
In fact, it should be our goal and ambition, and no one did this better than Jesus Christ, who spent a large part of his earthly life in obscurity. He diligently worked with his hands, went about his personal affairs, and embraced a modest lifestyle, all while maintaining a close connection with Father God.
In an era that glorifies stages and social media fame and clamors just to be seen and heard, the Lord is beckoning us to get back to the heart of worship, where we actually make it our goal to live quietly and peacefully.
There is power in privacy. We must make it our mission to seek God's approval more than man's validation.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Paul instructs the Christians to “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands…so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
This power-packed verse has three exhortations worth mentioning again:
1. Make it your ambition to live a quiet life.
2. Mind your own business.
3. Work with your hands.
Why? To win the respect of outsiders.
In the early days of Christianity, people were severely oppressed and mistreated for believing in Jesus Christ. Believers suffered for their faith, and Paul counseled them with practical wisdom that’s still relevant today.
The young Thessalonian church kept meddling in the affairs of others and getting sidetracked with distractions that stunted their spiritual growth; by aiming for a quiet life, they could avoid unnecessary conflicts and dramas, enabling them to focus on their faith and walk with Christ.
By diligently working with their hands, they would have resources and didn't have to rely on others. Paul knew this path well. He was a tentmaker while teaching and sharing the gospel and he set an example of hard work for other believers.
WE ARE ‘AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST’ (2 COR. 5:20)
We are called to live countercultural to society. We are called to be different and stand out amongst our peers in quiet ways, allowing the light of Jesus to shine. Like Paul said, we must be ambitious in this pursuit.
Ambition is a powerful word that we often associate with career goals and achievements, but Paul used the word to encourage the Jesus followers to live differently than the people around them. He could have told them to be ambitious with spreading the gospel and winning souls to Christ, or be ambitious starting a new business venture or climbing the corporate ladder to finance Kingdom pursuits — but Paul knew that setting the right example through actions and lifestyle would have a profound impact on others.
The same is true even today.
Paul heard how the people of Thessalonica were being “busybodies” and getting involved in gossip and the affairs of others and he alerted them to change their ways. The people had also become lazy and stopped working and this was not a way to live as Christians.
Paul wanted them to “mind their business” and “work with their hands” so that “your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (v. 12).
If you took an honest assessment of your life today – do you feel like your lifestyle is so different from those around you that it makes them curious of how and why you live this way – or are you so closely enmeshed with the culture that you fit right in with the crowd?
A quiet life is an achievement because it takes intentionality.
We must make it our ambition to lead a life that is worthy of the calling of Jesus Christ.
Paul also emphasized the importance of living harmoniously and resolving conflicts within the Christian community.
Peace is a fruit of the spirit for a reason. It must be cultivated and grown in a believer’s life. It does not come naturally for us, especially in a very loud, I-want-to-be-seen-and-heard world. Just as a farmer tends to crops to ensure their growth, believers must actively nurture peace in their lives through fellowship with Jesus, worship, prayer, time away from others, fasting, social media breaks and reflection on God's Word. Even in our day-to-day lives, we have to ambitiously choose peace, especially when our emotions get involved.
Peace is not passive, but an active choice.
Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9).
Since the Lord is bringing this word to my attention now, there must be a good reason why holding your peace and living quietly will be paramount this season. The Holy Spirit confirmed this message on my morning jog when I passed a man wearing a shirt that said, "SHHHH!" in big, bold letters!
Whenever the Lord gives me a word, He's pointing to what's coming. For one group, some of you are on the cusp of something extraordinary, and you must get your timing right. When you're in a transitional season, your margin of error is very small, and it's essential not to share your dreams or plans with others unless God says so. Others of you are in a prime building period and the enemy wants you distracted with the affairs of others so you lose focus on Jesus and the peace He has cultivated in your life. This is a wake-up call to be on alert and do not get involved with messy situations and gossipy people.
Everyone doesn't have to know your business, nor should we know theirs.
“Mind your own affairs…”
Make it your aim and ambition to remain humble and prayerful, seeking God's viewpoint above all else.
'ASPIRE TO LIVE QUIETLY…’
(1 Thessalonians 4:11)
The word "aspire" in the English translation corresponds to the Greek word "philotimeomai" which carries the sense of eagerness or ambition, particularly in pursuing something honorable or commendable. It implies a desire to excel or to be diligent in achieving a goal.
In other words, Paul was encouraging the Thessalonians to “strive earnestly for a quiet and calm life” which means it takes effort to live this way.
The concept of peace and privacy can be a strange concept for even God’s most faithful children because the modern cultural likes to overshare and post everything that happens. We swap stories with openness without considering how it might make others feel. Other times, God brings peace and joy as a gift for you and He wants you to have this special time without distractions.
The Lord is saying hold thy peace.
Aspire to live quietly.
Choose Him over the noise of the world.
Many people do not know how to sit still and live calmly; instead, we run ourselves dry because doing nothing feels uncomfortable. Others are exhausted, frazzled, and burnt out from busy, hectic lives because we haven't learned the power of saying no. Many workplaces even encourage a hustle culture, and standing against that can make you seem weird or different, but you have to stand firm in your beliefs.
Other times, we find way too much comfort in oversharing personal matters instead of working through things privately with Jesus. We babble to anyone who will listen and get so overwhelmed with outside information and input that we can't correctly discern God's voice.
So, why is the Holy Spirit putting this word on my heart to share?
Clearly it’s a wake-up call for many of us in the body of Christ to passionately pursue a quiet and peaceful life!
Choosing a quiet life reflects humility and we surrender to God's will. We acknowledge that ultimate control rests with God, not our human efforts or achievements.
Jesus loves you so very much and He’s trying to teach you a new way of living. However, you must make it your ambition and goal to chase after His will because it won’t be comfortable at first. The more you yield, the more you will become a living testimony to help others truly find life even while on earth! A calm and peaceful life can serve as an awe-inspiring witness to others, demonstrating the transformative power of faith and drawing people to inquire about the source of one's inner peace and joy.
In times of trials and challenges, those who have cultivated a quiet life with God often demonstrate greater stability and resilience, anchored in their trust in God's faithfulness and provision.
Ecclesiastes 3:7 says – "there's a time to be quiet and a time to speak." For someone reading this, silence will hold power for you this season.
GIVE ME BIBLE
The first story that comes to mind is when Elizabeth got pregnant with John the Baptist. The angel Gabriel struck her husband, Zechariah, deaf and mute because of his unbelief, but Elizabeth chose to go in hiding for five months as she prepared for her new precious baby (Luke 1:24). She needed that time to incubate and treasure her promise with the Lord before spilling the news to others.
John was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his conception and some promises are so life-transformative they must marinate in God’s holiness before being revealed to others.
Could Elizabeth have revealed her secret the moment she got pregnant? Sure, but she made the choice to surrender to God’s timing.
When God births something new and precious in your life, it doesn't need a press release. The Lord honors us when we sit with Him and wait for His timing before coming forth.
When we wait with Jesus, we spiritually mature, and the fruit of self-control ripens and grows. We learn to tame even our emotions and foster a sense of tranquility and peace.
In a world that values loudness and visibility, it's easy to overlook the beauty and significance of a quiet spirit. Yet, Scripture reminds us that "the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit... is precious in the sight of God" (1 Peter 3:4).
Did you catch that? A quiet and gentle spirit is pleasing and precious to our Heavenly Father!
So the question is – are we aspiring to live quietly?
Have we made this our ambition?
The next time someone asks, "What's your goal in life?" Hit them with this thought:
"I am eagerly striving and ambitiously chasing a quiet and peaceful life with God."
Jesus sure modeled a quiet and peaceful life while on earth. We know very little about His first 30 years while He went about his day, working as a carpenter, and minding His business. Most people know these as His "silent years." Even when Jesus stepped into public ministry, He was very particular about how He performed miracles. Sometimes, He commanded people not to tell anyone.
Jesus knew that speaking out of God's timing could have significant consequences.
He taught people to give in private and not to call attention to themselves when doing good deeds; Jesus also taught the importance of fasting and praying without needing to be seen or validated by others.
God rewards deeds motivated by sincere devotion to Him, not by approval from other people. Jesus also valued getting up before dawn to spend time with Father God and taught His followers about the power of the secret place.
"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees all that is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:6).
Even after His resurrection, Jesus didn't publicly announce or display the greatest miracle of all time with fireworks and showmanship, but quietly and peacefully appeared to people in surprise ways.
And when Jesus went to the cross, He fulfilled the words of Isaiah, who wrote, He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7).
There is a time to speak and a time to stay quiet.
Make sure you have your timing right this season.
