Is silence a struggle for you?
Apparently you’re not alone. If you do a quick google search on “the need for silence,” there are a bazillion articles on the topic. Psychology Today even says we need silence to survive.
What about silence and the survival of our relationship with God?
I believe regular silence is a vital, missing link in a lot of people’s walk with God and their worship of Him. I know it’s one of mine. Just being honest.
David’s opening verse in Psalm 65 got the silence topic churning in my head last week.
“There will be silence before You, and praise in Zion, O God, And to You the vow will be performed. . . .
How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You To dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple” (Psalm 65: 1, 4)
I love the picture the David paints of silence before God either preceding or being part of praising Him. Because it’s in silence that God is free to speak into our quieted hearts and stilled minds. Silence gives Him the much needed space to remind us who He is and draw us closer and into an intimate time of worship.
Shhhh, I AM.
What does silence accomplish?
1) Silence before God encourages REST.
I don’t mean sleep (fight it if you’re tempted!), but resting in who God is. Silence allows the heart, mind, and soul to slow down enough to soak in the presence of God. I am here. So is God. And I have no other agenda other than being with Him – leaning into His presence.
“My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation” (Psalm 62:1).
2) Silence before God induces REVERENCE.
In my silence I acknowledge that He is God and I am not. I bow my heart before all He is – known and unknown – and surrender my all. Silence prepares the soil of my heart to be awed by God.
“. . . let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,” (Hebrews 12:28b).
3) Silence before God rouses ANTICIPATION.
He loves it when we long for Him and wait on Him. God desperately wants to draw us into an intimate relationship with Himself. And that can’t happen apart from silence. It’s where hope is fueled. And it’s where He “draw(s) [us] near” to “satisfy [us] with the goodness of [His] house” (Psalm 65:4).
“My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him” (Psalm 62:5).
4) Silence before God inspires WORSHIP.
All of these lead us to a place of offering back to God in worship all He’s poured out for us. I humbly give You all I am in response to all You are. Because sometimes earthly words are just sorely inadequate for responding to our unsearchable God, and humbly lavish silence expresses it best.
“But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him” (Habakkuk 2:20).
I know it’s a huge battle. But I want that time of silence before God to become like daily air that I can’t survive without. Not just because it so fills my soul, but because God deserves it.
I love this quote by Andrew Murray*: “It is a great lesson to learn that to be silent before God is the secret of true adoration. It is only as the soul bows itself before Him in honor and reverence that the heart will be opened to receive the divine impression of the nearness of God and of the working of His power. Such worship of God is the surest way to give Him the glory that is due Him.”
Want to grow in the surest way to give God glory? Bowed-down, humbled-before-Him, opened-to-Him, lavish silence expresses it best.
What about you? Do you struggle with silence?
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