What if the Answer is Found in Silence?
How often do you spend in stillness before God?
Silence. To some, the idea of sitting alone in silence sounds blissful. Often we find our days filled with things that require our attention. Finding time to sit in quietness appears more like an unrealistic dream than a reality to be enjoyed. Or perhaps it is simply uncomfortable. There is always an urge to get stuff done, and the thought of sitting down can appear more unnerving than relaxing.
However, time spent in silence is more than just a kind suggestion. It is a necessary part of our lives. This is not simply having a period of quiet time. It is deeper. This kind of solitude entails spending it the right way, one in which we are spending quality time with the living God so that he will rejuvenate us.
The theme of stillness before God is evident throughout Scripture for good reason. Solitude is a necessary part of our spiritual health. It is essential to how we were made.
Stillness allows us to meditate on who God is
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
Stillness is a gift in which we can dwell on the power of who God is. This molds and shapes every part of our lives, including our relationships with others. Distractions often cause us to forget how mighty His hand truly is. When relationships are strained, when illness occurs, when sorrow overwhelms us, or fear strikes, it becomes very tempting to turn our attention away from acknowledging who God is. In these moments, it is important that we not lose focus on who He is. We must not allow our burdens to mold the truth of the gospel, of God’s goodness and love.
Stillness allows us to see our circumstances in the proper context.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. ” (Ps. 23:1-3).
This psalm is meditative in nature. In it, the Psalmist recalls the goodness of God. Stillness allows us to see our circumstances through the lens of who God is, as opposed to allowing our views of God to change based on our circumstances. When we dwell on the truth despite how we feel, we can see our circumstances through a proper context. He refreshes our souls, only when we surrender to His guidance.
Stillness allows us to refocus and prioritize
One of my favorite authors, A.W. Tozer, makes this statement in his book, The Pursuit of God:
“Whoever will listen will hear the speaking Heaven. This is definitely not the hour when men take kindly to an exhortation to listen, for listening is not today a part of popular religion. We are at the opposite end of the pole from there. Religion has accepted the monstrous heresy that noise, size, and activity and bluster make a man dear to God. But we may take heart. To a people caught in the tempest of the last great conflict, God says, “Be still, and know that I am God,” and still He says it, as if He mean to tell us that our strength and safety lie not in noise but in silence”
What if strength was actually found in the stillness? What if you find rest for your soul by going back to trusting in Him? Often we take silence as God’s disinterest in our lives or a lack of guidance or care. However, this is far from the truth. The God we serve is one who is closer than the mention of His name. To the one who seeks answers, that seeks to fix everything, rest in the fact that sometimes it is in the silence that God speaks and renews. When our gaze is on something rather greater than ourselves, it allows us to refocus our priorities accordingly.
Stillness allows us to simply listen to God
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Ecc. 5:1-2
Many key Christian historical figures emphasized the importance of preparation before entering prayer to God. How necessary it is to take time before God and acknowledge who He is.
Even still, this can be difficult at times. As a problem-solvers, it only seems natural to go to God with a list of everything that needs to be fixed, whether it be externally or within our own hearts. And yes, we are urged to present our requests to God in prayer (Phil. 4:6-7). This does not prohibit pouring out our hearts to God. However, perhaps what we actually need at times is to simply sit in silence and meditate on the truth we already know.
What if silence is the way in which we encounter not God’s disinterest but what we’ve truly been searching for all along? Rather than answers, perhaps what God’s child really needs is His comfort, a sense of reverent fear, and peace in remembrance of who He is.
Silence and solitude are significant for every person. They allow us to meditate on the truth of who God is and to see our circumstances in the proper light. They give us the opportunity to refocus and reprioritize our lives and to simply listen to God. This does not diminish the community of believers from which we are called to participate (Heb 10:25). They can actually enhance it.
Practically speaking, what does being still before God actually look like? It may be taking time in silence to read His word so that you may grow in knowledge. It may include going for a walk and meditating on our surroundings without distractions. Or it could simply mean balance in our prayer lives. Taking the time to praise and bring requests before God (which are essential) and simply reflect on the core beliefs of faith and listen to what He is saying. God created each of us uniquely, and therefore our time alone with Him may appear different. There is beauty in learning to discover how we connect with our Saviour, and it is an endeavor worth pursuing.
How do you spend time in stillness?
Blessings,
