15-5

The Sound of Sheer Silence

Silence is not something we are good at. We sleep with the TV on, the radio is always on in the car, and iTunes is constantly at work. Have you ever walked into a store and noticed that there is no music playing in the background? It is really uncomfortable! Why is that? It is because we are not good at silence. It is a rare moment in our lives when we let silence completely envelop us, but I'm guessing you remember those moments. It is often in those moments when we feel closest to God. For one thing we can hear Him more clearly when there are not 100 other things to drown Him out. Bill Hybels asks this question: "Is the ambient noise level of my life low enough for me to hear the whispers of the Lord?"

But some of us just can't keep quiet for anything. Maybe it is because we aren't spending enough time in the presence of God. Andrew Murray says, "The very thought of God in His majesty and holiness should silence us."

I know it is easier said than done. "There is so much to see and hear in this busy and media-flooded world of satellite television, home cinema and the internet. We need seasons of the soul in which we somehow find space away from the noises of everyday life and still our heart to perceive the intimate whispers of God." Why do you think people go on retreats into the woods or to a remote beach house? Is it because they hate indoor plumbing? I suppose some might. But for most people it is because they need to get away to 'clear their heads.' They will scale a mountain just to see the view. From the top they see things clearly, things they have never seen before. There is a reason they say it is breathtaking. It is because words won't do it justice, so the appropriate thing to do is keep quiet. They need time to sit in the silence and hear what God is saying to them. Many times people come back from retreats like that passionate about the calling God is placing in their lives. Why? Because they have taken the time to listen!

We need "to find moments and places where we may rise above the noise of twenty-first-century life and give ourselves space for reflection. As a general rule, too much time spend watching television or playing video games will not help us climb higher. If we want to scale greater heights and see further into God, we must find moments when we ascend above every distraction and find an unobstructed view of Him."

Enjoy the Journey