Saturday, October 27
silence
Our days are lived in a noisy world. In the age of information, we are daily bombarded with an endless flow of words clammering for our attention. Because of the growing claim over our time and attention, and the increasing stress levels in our lives, we are forced to be constantly chatting-hearing and talking.We need to rediscover our need for silence. The wise man in the Bible wrote that there is "a time to be silent and a time to speak" (Ecc 3:7). Regular periods of silence are essential for healthy and holy Christian living. But why is this so?
At some point or other, each of us has probably enjoyed the silence of a remote place (such as a mountain or dessert). Such moments of silent contemplation tend to bring us face to face with eternity and help us to think about God and the meaning and mystery of life. Having experienced the refreshing potential of silence, we begin to realise that it is in silence that we have our most profound experiences. When we see a beautiful scene, we often break into words describing our delight and the beauty of what lies before our eyes. But when it is really breathtaking, it literally takes our breath away. The most breathtaking experiences are experienced in silence.
Likewise, the most painful experiences are also experienced in silence. When we are in pain, we cry aloud and scream. However, when the pain is the greatest, we often experience it - in silence. The heart may crack noisily, but it always breaks silently. The greatest of our sufferings is wrapped in silence and offers an opportunity for us to discover profound meaning and life-changing love.
This is to say that silence helps us to go through some of the deepest of human experiences. Without it, we are more likely to live superficial lives.
When Christians share about their experiences they sometimes talk about the silence of God. God is silent not because He has nothing to say, but in fact, He is silent because He has something to say. And we can only hear what He has to say if we join Him in His silence. This may be because when He speaks, God is often heard in a gentle whisper. If the noise levels around us and in us are not turned down, and if we don't stop speaking, we may miss what God is saying to us. Too many words can stiffle the word from God.
Silence enables us to face God and ourselves and come to terms with reality. It also helps us to face others and creates and nurtures authentic relationships. It is odd how people often talk not because they want to communicate something but because they don't want to reveal their true selves or what is deep inside. We often talk because we are nervous. Richard Foster pointed out that we talk often to defend ourselves. When we are silent we fear the vulnerability and the danger of being misunderstood and maligned. It takes guts to be silent.
Jesus is our great example. Though He preached and taught considerably, He also displayed moments of silence - in His regular times of prayer and other occasions. When He was unjustly accused and tried before His crucifixion, He remained silent. Jesus' silence showed a deep trust in His heavenly Father.
Our spiritual lives must be nourished by moments of silence. These must not merely be the result of accidental brushes with silence but by a disciplined practice of silence. We live in a noisy world. We must make sure that our hearts, home, and churches are places where silence is appreciated, nurtured and experienced. Even in our joyful praises we must have silent pauses. Habbakuk the prophet wrote, "But the Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth be silent before Him" (Hab 2:20) Perhaps he knew that often when the mouth shuts, the heart opens.
taken from "A feast for the soul"
talk talk talk talk talk. fullstop.
Lord, teach me to be silent.
the silence and darkness of the night. nice.
drives away all the worries of the day.
help me to trust.