Silence
“In a noise-polluted world, it is even difficult to hear ourselves think let alone try to be still and know God. Yet is seems essential for our spiritual life to seek some silence, no matter how busy we may be. Silence is not to be shunned as empty space, but to be befriended as fertile ground for intimacy with God” — Susan Muto
“As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer” — Luke 5:16
Living in an age of technology and information silence is a really hard thing to come by. We are bombarded with constant sources of amusement, words, music, advertising, alarms, and voices. Our cultural milieu is one of noise and lots of it.
The result is that we can become addicted to it — at the gym we feel a compulsion to work out to music, in the car we need to listen to a podcast, when we get home we put on the TV to listen to the news while we do chores, when we wake up first thing in the morning we quickly check for emails that have come through overnight, and then there is the pull of Facebook, Instagram, and all the other social media platforms. Before we know it we’ve inundated our lives with noise, and in the midst of it all we’ve drowned out the still, small voice of God calling to us.
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” 1 Kings 19 tells the story of how Elijah recognized God’s voice not in the big dramatic moments but in silence. Each of the gospels recall how Jesus would often steal himself away from the crowds and seek silence and solitude with his Father. The practice of silence and solitude is documented throughout the scriptures, and as followers of Jesus we ought therefore to deduce that it is important for us to seek silence for the sake of growing in our relationship with God too. To create moments of silence and stillness in the flow of our day invites us to leave behind the competitive demands in the world for our attention in order to center our attention of our heavenly Father.
It is often in those moments of silence that we start to notice feelings that we’d prefer to avoid — fear, anxiety, worry, anger, loneliness, impatience. However it is also in those moments of silence that we allow God to do therapy on our souls. Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, in her book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, says: “…like a can opener the silence opens up the contents of our heart, allowing us deeper access to God than we experience at other times. As we remain in the silence, the inner noise and chaos will begin to settle. Our capacity to open up wider and wider to God grows. The Holy One has access to places we don’t even know exist in the midst of the hubbub.”
So while carving out silence as a spiritual practice might feel daunting and uncomfortable, when we do we will experience the healing presence of God meeting us within.
Here are three ways that you can begin practicing silence in your life:
Set a timer for 10 minutes. Go into silence, placing yourself in the presence of God with the words “Here I am.” As distractions come to mind, let them go imagining that they are boats floating down a river. Let the current take the distractions away. Don’t follow the distractions. Gently return to God by repeating the words, “Here I am.” Let the current of God’s Spirit take you. What is this like for you?
While doing a task — ironing, washing dishes, driving, exercising, etc — turn off any background noise and continue the task by offering it to God. Be present, doing what you’re doing with a listening heart. What is this like for you? What distracts you?
Go into silence. Begin to meditate on Psalm 37:4 which says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” What does this verse say to you? What desires does God put in your heart? What does God say to you about your desires? Stay and wait in the silence. Ask for the freedom to delight in God and the ability to know and live out your god-given desires.
As with all spiritual practices, as you begin to engage with silence you will notice god-given fruit start to grow in your life. Some of the fruits you will experience may include:
being attentive to the voice of God
gaining freedom from negative habits of speech like gossip, impulsive chatter, small talk, the compulsive need to express your opinion
having deeper intimacy with God
freedom from addition to noise and sound
develop increased ability to listen to God, to yourself, and to others
So I invite you to join me in introducing the practice of silence into the flow of your days and weeks as you seek to attune your spirit to the presence of God living and moving in you. May you discover more of God’s love and delight for you as you abide in Christ and He in you.
In Christ,
Rose
Further Resources for Silence:
Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Exploring God’s Transforming Presence by Ruth Haley Barton
Open Heart, Open Mind by Fr Thomas Keating — this book is for those who want to dive into the theory and practice of Centering Prayer as a way of practicing silence.
Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership with Ruth Haley Barton [Podcast]. Listen to Season 5 as the episodes walk through her book Invitation to Solitude and Silence. Here is the link to the first episode in Apple Podcast