Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. (Psalm 4:4 NIV11)
I need silence if I want to listen, especially to listen well and carefully. I’ve noticed over the years that silence allows me to take in more than I see and hear. Silence opens my heart to presence, to God’s presence, to God’s speech. I don’t necessarily have to be on my bed, but my mouth needs to be closed, and my externals quieted to ambient sounds.
In those spaces, I have learned something richer than words emerge, whether I am with God or with a person. Much of my work in the Kingdom includes pausing in silence. I have seen mountains moved (figuratively speaking) because God’s overtures seep into the soul with clarity, mine and others’ souls. I’ve experienced it myself.
The first time that I recall happened on a silent retreat. That retreat opened me to the necessity of the silence that occurs in slowness. I noticed God’s speech.
A gentle breeze. A chirping bird. The crackling leaves under my feet. Evoking memories of spaces, places, pains and hurts, joys and laughter, the stuff of life where God worked in me even though then, when the memories first took place, I did not notice.
I learned I meet God in the deep and deep calls forth to deep in those spaces, and something changes. Continents of soul shift, refreshing water flows in and life takes on a different shape, a different meaning.
I started to notice pausing in silence allows the work of God to emerge. I might see a change. An invitation to join God might arise. By joining, I enter His power and love.
A couple of weeks ago, I had a not so good, terrible, very bad day. My mouth got in the way of love, and things with my wife appeared bleak, a situation of my own making. That evening, I paused in silence. God had prodded all day, but I did not listen. I paused in a long silence at night where I sit to commune with God. Silence drew me to love, then to reevaluation, then to admission and self-revealing conversation with my Father. A pause in silence with no words, but much speech.
The next morning, forgiveness and reconciliation occurred naturally and with ease because it occurred in the presence of His Love and power. I’m grateful for pausing in silence.
For Reflection:
“The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” (Exodus 14:14 NAS95)
- In what ways do you practice pausing in silence? What do you notice when you do?
- What expectation do you have of God engaging with you from His initiative in your day? What helps you become aware of His engaging you?
