Silence

I'd like to begin by defining some terms. Silence is simply the absence of sound or noise. "Sound" is meaningful in that is carries information. Speech and music serve as good examples. However, even sounds can lose their significance if we don’t understand or refuse to process the signals. "Noise" is meaningless in that it carries no information. Examples of this include tire noise or refrigerator hum. However, these noises can convey information about the functioning of its source. For our purposes we are principally concerned with inner silence - the shutting out of external sound so that we can hear from God. At first it is easier to achieve this inner silence in quiet environments. As you practice, you will be able to find “silence” amid the noise and sounds of everyday life.

Inner quietness (supported by external silence) has long been a part of the spiritual development of God's people. To underscore this fact, let me point you to four Old Testament references

In his letter, James encourages us to be "swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." (James 1:19) This advice highlights a tendency that most of us have. We are quicker to speak than to listen. If we include our own voices among the sources of sound and noise we "turn off," we will learn the benefit of James' admonition. Doing so will help us to hear what others are trying to tell us, but, more importantly, we'll be able to hear God.

At first when you practice silence, you'll discover that there is a lot of what I might call "mental racket" inside our own heads. In the silence you'll learn to identify (and quieten) your inner voices. These are thoughts which intrude the moment you stop concentrating on something else.

Most of us share the compulsion to talk. When we are with others, we are subject to their desire to express themselves. At times this can be truly helpful, encouraging, uplifting. But at other times, what others have to say is distracting, discouraging, and sometimes even destructive. Practicing silence will necessitate our getting away from others occasionally in order to be quiet within and without.

One of the great surrogates of conversation these days is the communications media. For some it is tough to get control of these sources of noise. So much of the media comes with a spiritually negative message. They are designed to attract an audience by giving the audience what it wants. What the audience wants is a message that reinforces and supports its natural inclinations toward sinful experience and self-expression.

Silence also frees us from the demands of the world. The incessant cries of advertisers attempting to create dissatisfaction in our souls almost forces us to cave in. The broadcast voices of the current generation of experts tell us how to develop a healthy menu, raise successful children, maximize our potential and more. These can lay a tremendous sense of obligation on us, if we don't take occasional breaks and renew our spiritual perspective.

I recently heard about a woman who had a popcorn kernel caught in her larynx rendering her literally speechless for almost four months. When she finally was able to speak again, she told people that during that time she had learned to listen as she never had before. Often when others are talking, much of our mental energy goes into formulating what we want to say in response. When the ability to make a quick reply was taken away, she could focus on the incoming message. At the same time, of course, this reduced her influence. After all, if we have no input, we have no influence. In a conversation, we need to be able to speak in order to steer the discussion. At the same time we learn to keep silent, we learn to surrender control. This can be very positive because it forces us to set aside our own selfish agenda for the sake of others and prepares us to listen to God.

The last benefit of silence I'll mention is that it is often in silence when we experience God’s peace. As long as we are expressing our dissatisfaction, our pain, our discontent, our grief, we drown out the incoming message of God for us. Finding a quiet place and then silencing our own inner voices allows us to experience the comfort and peace of God we would otherwise miss. Psalm 46:10 is famous for telling us: "Be still and know that I am God." One of the ways to translate "still" in this verse is with the word "quiet." In other words, "Be quiet and know that I am God.

Ron Hughes
© June 2008