What is Silence?

The absence of noise? Of speaking? Of listening? Is it stillness? Quiet? No music? No sound? No movement?

I think people think silence, and perhaps by extension meditation, is mute– in speaking and in listening.

But silence and meditation go hand in hand. Yes, I am silent– not speaking– but while meditating, I’m actively listening. What do I hear?

That’s rhetorical and not at all. Oftentimes, the birds chirp louder. Currently, the construction noises of metal on metal beat louder. I hear creeks of the hardwood floor from my upstairs neighbor walking. Children screaming as they play.

Yes, those are the physical noises, but what are the internal ones– the spiritual noises– that I hear?

What is my heart saying? My mind thinking? My spirit speaking? Those are the spiritual noises I long to hear.

And in a world full of noise and hustle and bustle, and (the very problematic) grind culture, silence and stillness are sacred.

Silence is the doorway to God.

Shalem Institute, Crossing the Threshold: Emerging Leader’s Opening Retreat Presentation

Is stillness silence? Quieting the noise? Finding calm? Creating peace?

How does God define it? How do we define it for ourselves?

My spiritual director told me this week to live in the questions. And perhaps you know by now that I loves me a good question. Asking and answering. Asking and searching. Playing and fighting in the answer. Seeking to find it.

The more specific the question, the deeper and fuller the answer.

That’s the question: What is silence? and stillness?

Be still and know that I am God.

Psalm 46:10

The “be still” of this verse is described differently in different translations. Not better, not worse, but richly different. Other translations say:

• Stop fighting (CSB, CEB, ERV)
• Calm down (CEV)
• Be still and quiet (EASY)
• Crease striving (LSB)
• Be quiet and know (NLV)
• Be still, be calm, see, and understand (VOICE)
• Desist (YLT)

However you choose to define silence or stillness for yourself, I hope you come to know it, to understand it, and above all, I hope you practice being it: Stop fighting. Calm down. Be quiet. Be calm. See. Understand. Desist (adding that to my vocab!).

Listen more to what the God within you says. Listen to what you desire. May you allow yourself to be silent so you can listen.

Listening To God: A Prayer Of Being

May we all practice silence so we can hear God more. May we practice more silence to practice listening to and hearing God’s voice. May we listen and may we obey the voice of God, calling us to be more. More beautiful, more radiant, more peaceful, more bold, more courageous. And so it is. And so we already amen. Amen. 🙏🏾

From Reading to Inspired Action

Take a few moments today to sit in silence—and listen for the God within you. What do you hear God saying to you in the silence? I’d love to hear in the comments!

And trust that even in the silence, God is already speaking. Rest in that knowing. How do I know? I end my two way prayers with this: God is always speaking, and when I slow myself to listen, I hear her. And when I obey, God moves big and bold on my behalf. This is the power and promise that is prayer. It is finished. I am victorious. And so it is. Amen.