Come And Find The Quiet Center

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Have you taken time to be still and know that God is with you through the difficulties of life? Can you find peace amid all the chaos that is happening around you? This song is especially meaningful at a time when people are going through major changes in their lives throughout a global pandemic and social unrest. The words to the song, which were written by New Zealand's Shirley Murray, were published in 1992.

Since first appearing in modern hymnals, it has become a touchstone of peace and spiritual calm for many faith communities. The text of the hymn has found its way into informational pamphlets about labyrinth walks and prayer gardens, chapel dedications, personal devotional materials, and many worship services.

The first verse speaks to our deepest desire for peace in the midst of the storm. It's well suited to be a call to worship, a call to prayer, or a centering experience. When reading through all the verses, individually and as a whole, it is evident that finding the quiet center of our being is only the beginning of the journey.

The second verse opens with a journey inward, embracing silence and slowing the hectic pace of life. It's an invitation to focus on the innermost parts of our being by invoking the name of God who “speaks and names us,” who “knows our being, touches base.”

In the next line, however, the focus shifts. We are still working within ourselves but rather than simply being, we are preparing for the work that lies ahead, as we prepare to meet the challenges of faith. It's a reminder that although it is tempting to remain in the safety of those set-apart moments of peace, the challenges of life remain and, ultimately, we must prepare to face those challenges with a newfound sense of strength.

The third verse sends us with the Holy Spirit into the world of pain, love and fear while reminding the traveler that when we are “open to each other’s pain” and when we “let our loves and fears unravel,” we gain space for newness of being. We are not called to live in isolation with our peace and calm but to share the fullness of life’s experiences with others on the journey. By sharing in the pain, joy and fear of life, there is a “place for deepest dreaming” and, with the Spirit, “there is always room to share.”

It shows us the gift of peace within the chaos but then asks us to draw strength from that peace, that connection with the Spirit, to face the challenges and triumphs of the Christian journey.

This arrangement of "Come and Find the Quiet Center" has a bit of a Celtic twist, and was performed by 70x7's founder, B.J. Collins on July 31, 2020.