The Negatives Of Noise

In this Mother Jones article by author Florence Williams, there is a list of several negatives of noise that we need to note. Since I've been a substitute in our local school district for the past thirteen years, the following negative of noise jumped out at me:

"To date, over 20 studies have shown a negative effect of environmental noise exposure on children's learning outcomes and cognitive performance," notes a 2013 paper in the Journal of Environmental Psychology. "Studies have demonstrated that children with chronic aircraft, road traffic or rail noise exposure at school have poorer reading ability, memory, and academic performance on national standardised tests." There's science behind the saying "You can't hear yourself think."

The above phrase, "You can't hear yourself think", is the exact phrase I use in telling my stepson when there is excessive noise (so-called music) at our neighborhood Dairy Queen. So excessive, that I have to politely ask the manager to turn down the music (noise), so that my stepson and I can hear one another converse.

Beloved, not only does excess noise distract us from being able to focus our minds on learning and achieving everyday goals, but distracts us from our most important goal — meditating on and studying God's word (Psalms 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). Our Lord recommended a "closet" (KJV) or "inner chamber" (ASV), for the purpose of closing ourselves off from any worldly distractions or noise, as we pray uninterrupted to our Heavenly Father (Matthew 6:6). In His earthly ministry, our Lord and His disciples went up to a mountain (a secluded place) to pray to the Father (Matthew 14:23; Luke 9:28).

Let us communicate daily with our Heavenly Father in a quiet and secluded place, with no distractions (including smartphones, earbuds, or any other distraction).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets