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The Discipline of Silence


Be still and know that I am God Psalm 46:10

Imagine a scenario where you go to the doctor and report a number of issues about which you need medical advice. The minute you have finished itemizing your list of problems, you look at your watch and announce that you have to be on your way. “Don’t you want to hear what I have to recommend?”, your doctor might say as you disappear out the door.

In much the same way, we might set aside a bit of time to tell God our troubles and ask for help but then rush off to the tasks that await. We’ve opened a line of communication but have restricted it to a one-sided conversation, not listening for what God has to say to us.

We all know that the world is a noisy, busy place, and so is our mind. When our thoughts race with too many concerns, we struggle to focus and listen.

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. Psalm 62:5

To wait for God is to be still, to make quiet, to stop, to rest, to quiet ourselves and to hold onto peace. Waiting for God instead of allowing our thoughts and emotions to spiral helps us to hear God more clearly.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Psalm 37:7a

Waiting for God to speak to us is a discipline, the discipline of silence and it takes practice. In order to be silent and alert to His voice we need to situate ourselves in a quiet place to focus on God and His presence. We need to refrain from speaking, move away from the voices of other people, and turn off technology and entertainment.

When Christians in the presence of God create silence, they place themselves in a consecrated mental space to begin to hear the gentle whisper of God. As we remain in the silence, the inner noise and chaos will begin to settle. Silence is a time to rest in God and lean into Him, trusting that being with Him in silence will loosen our rootedness in the world.

Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the herb. Deuteronomy 32:1-2

Until we set aside time in God’s presence to listen to what He has to say to us can we truly claim, with the psalmist the words that are said at the end of each church service?…

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

In the Garden https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KoN-MbSBhY
Word of God speak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTY-UKgLlXs