Silence
By Rev. David Wilson Rogers | June 6, 2015
There is quite an addiction that seems to permeate so much of American culture that it is possible every one of us reading these words has borne the effects of being caught in its grips. It is a force that is not inherently bad or evil. It’s presence in everyday life has valuable and meaningful blessings. Yet, as our culture develops, its ubiquitous presence has overwhelmed the silence that it hides, making us not only unable to hear, but often afraid of being apart from it. It is an addiction to noise.
For many in our world today the absence of sound is a frightening reality. Many people leave televisions blaring all hours of the day and night to avoid the frightening silence of an empty home. We have the capacity to bring music into our headphones, car stereos, desktop computers, and just about every room in the house, making it incredibly easy to infiltrate our every breath with unending sound.
The ever-present sonic intrusion has not only infiltrated our recreational and professional lives, it has hijacked aspects of Christian worship. As far as Christian traditions go, the Quakers, by far, have the most beautiful understanding of the value of silence in worship. Yet many Christian traditions have a heritage of silent prayer and meditative contemplation in the absence of sound. Tragically, much of our worship today is filled with some form of sound.
19th chapter of 1st Kings, Elijah encounters God in the silence of the still small voice. This sheer silence and absolute absence of sound follows on the cataclysmic torrent of wind and fire and earthquake. It stands as a reminder that there are times when we do best to turn off the noise and listen in silence.
Isaiah’s encounter with the divine serves as only one example of how God speaks to God’s people. It would be a scriptural injustice to think God only speaks in such silence, but the vivid example reminds us in a time when noise is so much a part of our everyday culture— not to mention our rituals of worship— we would do well to turn off the noise once in a while and let God speak.
If you are like me, there is a good possibility that entering into silence is not the easiest thing to do. In fact, as I write these words I have my favorite music playing from the hard drive to fill the otherwise silent space that is my office and study. There are also times when silence makes me uncomfortable and somewhat anxious. The mind, so accustomed to the sonic sensations of life, becomes nervously aware that something is awry when no noise is heard.
This is all the more reason to make ourselves have time of silence. Done right, and with prayerful intentionality, breaking away into silence can be a very rewarding and fulfilling time. As one who has on many occasions enjoyed silent retreats and prolonged periods of intentional meditative quietness, I know very well how difficult and simultaneously rewarding, such periods can be.
Yet one need not necessarily leave on a retreat to experience the blessing of listening for the still small voice of God. Simply taking the time to turn the television off, turn the cell phone off, turn the MP3 players and radios off, and take the time to simply be. A word of caution, many people are so addicted to constant noise that something along these lines can actually bring on feelings of anxiety and uncertainty that can be very discouraging. Sometimes silence can be best achieved in community with a trusted friend or mentor. Yet the value of taking time for silence has profound blessings in faith.