When God Turns Down the Noise

When he was alone, the twelve… asked him about the parables Mark 4:10

Have you ever been alone with God? Not “alone in your room with your phone,” but truly alone. No music. No scrolling. No talking. Just quiet. Those are the times when the hard questions arise. Why did this happen? What am I supposed to do now? How do I fix this?

That’s when I think of the disciples in Mark’s Gospel. They didn’t ask their questions out in the crowd. They waited until it was just them and Jesus. When he was alone, the twelve… asked him about the parables (Mark 4:10). The crowd heard the story, but the disciples got the explanation. Not because they were more deserving, but because they stayed close enough to be alone with Him.

God still teaches like that. Sometimes, He “gets us alone” through things we never would have picked: a closed door, a broken friendship, a new friendship that changes everything, a sickness, a disappointment, a temptation that rattles us, a sadness we can’t name. And in that lonely place, something strange happens. We run out of words. We don’t even know what to ask. We just sit there, quiet and confused.

And then Jesus begins to speak, not often with thunder, but with a steady, gentle voice. He doesn’t always give the whole map. Sometimes, He gives one step. One simple truth. One reminder that lands like a blanket over shaking shoulders: I’m here. I see you. Follow Me.

In the quiet place, we realize there are stubborn places in us. Blind spots. Fear. Pride. Worry that is unreasonable in the shadow of God’s faithfulness. Those areas don’t usually get healed in a noisy crowd. They get revealed in quiet places, when it’s just Jesus and us.

That’s why the question isn’t only, “Do I believe in God?” The question is, “Am I ever alone with God?” Alone. Present. Listening.

So today, I’m learning to do something simple. I turn down the noise for a few minutes. I put the questions on the table and stop trying to answer them first. And I whisper, “Jesus, I’m here.” Then I wait. Because when the room gets quiet, He starts to speak.

Have a Great Week,

-Pastor Corey