For God alone, my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. (Psalm 62:1 ESV)
“Do you mind if I play music?” asked one of my pro-am partners. I shrugged my shoulders, deeming myself neutral to the idea while silently screaming yes, I do mind. Golf has become a “noise zone.” The norm is now to hear music echoing out of carts at our local courses.
Noise. It’s all around us. Music…podcasts…cell phone beeps…incoming email dings. Radio. TV. Devotionals (yes, even this one). Google. Noise is fueled by outside sources and from within our minds.
When it comes to my golf swing, I have a monkey mind. My internal chatter analyzes, questions, and rehearses incessantly. During a tournament, I even dream about my swing. Quieting the noise in my mind is one of my biggest battles.
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The spiritual activity of silence is subtle but has the capacity to make significant changes in a short amount of time.
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Yet, I also love silence. I can drive for hours in silence. I enjoy the quietness of my home. As an introvert, I need a reprieve of silence after a long day of engaging with people.
Pause for a moment – when was the last time you sat in silence or recognized silence was present? Did you feel uncomfortable? Did you reach for your phone or radio to absorb the quietness?
There are many spiritual disciplines. For example, daily Bible reading and study, writing a gratitude list, daily prayer, generosity, or fasting. The spiritual activity of silence is subtle but has the capacity to make significant changes in a short amount of time. And sitting in silence might be one of the hardest things we can do in our noise-inundated world.
Let’s practice. Stop reading, set a timer for one minute, and sit in silence…
What did you notice? Was it hard? Did a minute like an eternity?
God is not surprised by the noise and distractions of our world. He told his people to take Sabbath – not because he needed it, but because the people (us) needed rest. Jesus found time to retreat into quietness early in the morning for solitude. And, in our passage today, the Psalmist says we will find God when we wait in silence.
Practicing silence creates a quiet space for our souls to engage with God. It is the seedling where the transformation of our minds (thinking and feeling) begins. Practicing silence sharpens our sensitivity to hearing and knowing God’s will through the Holy Spirit.
Here are two questions to help practice silence:
What is one habit that you can substitute with a time of silence? Example: Instead of listening to music while you drive to work or the golf course, drive in silence.
What do you need to help create a new habit of practicing silence? Example: Schedule a time in your day on your calendar or set the alarm to remind you to pause for silence during the day.
Practicing silence means no input, no music, and no Bible. Just you and the Holy Spirit. Start with small increments and build. Your soul is worth the time.
Prayer: Lord, help us today to consider the practice of silence. Show us how to make small changes in our day to turn off the noise and find rest with you.