When Christians share about their experiences, they sometimes talk about the silence of God. Our God is not a noisy God. In fact, sometimes He seems to be too silent.
The psalmist cried out to God, “O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet…” (Psalm 83:1). Obviously, God was too silent for the troubled psalmist who was worried about the enemies of the people of God.

But was God silent because He had nothing to say? No, in fact, He was silent because He had something to say. And we can only hear what He has to say if we join Him in His silence. This may be because when He speaks, God is often heard in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12).

If the noise levels around us and in us are not turned down, and if we don’t stop speaking, we may miss what God is saying to us. Too many words can stifle the word from God.

Silence enables us to face God and ourselves and come to terms with reality. It also helps us to face others and creates and nurtures authentic relationships. It is odd how people often talk not because they want to communicate but because they don’t want to reveal their true selves or what is deep inside.

We talk often because we are nervous. Richard Foster has wisely pointed out that we talk often to defend ourselves. Speech has a defensive function. When we are silent, we fear the vulnerability and the danger of being misunderstood and maligned. It takes guts to be silent.

Jesus is our great example. Though he preached and taught considerably, he also displayed moments of silence – in his regular times of prayer and other occasions (John 8:1-11). His moments of silence were deeply penetrating and prophetic. When He was unjustly accused and tried before His crucifixion, he remained silent (Isaiah 53:7; Mark 14:61). Jesus’ silence showed a deep trust in His heavenly Father.

Does this mean that we are to be silent all the time, as much as we can? It is clear that that is not to be so. In His trial, Christ did indeed speak up (John 18:19-37), but what He spoke was powerful and meaningful because of His silent pauses. In Christ’s case, silence and speech nurtured each other.

Our spiritual lives must be nourished by moments of silence. These must not merely be the result of accidental brushes with silence but by a disciplined practice of silence. We live in a noisy world. We must make sure that our hearts, homes, and churches are places where silence is appreciated, nurtured, and experienced.

Even in our joyful praises we must have silent pauses. Note that the Psalms (the ancient hymns of Israel) are punctuated by the term “selah,” a reminder for the people to reflect silently even in the middle of their joyful singing (e.g., Psalm 66, 67).

It is no accident, therefore, that Habbakuk the prophet wrote, “But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” (Habbakuk 2:20). Perhaps he knew that often when the mouth shuts, the heart opens.

Article Contributed by Bishop Emeritus Robert M Solomon

Bishop Emeritus Robert Solomon served as Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000-2012.  He had served previously as a medical doctor, church pastor, principal of Trinity Theological College and president of the National Council of Churches of Singapore. Dr Solomon has degrees in medicine, theology, intercultural studies, and a PhD in pastoral theology from the University of Edinburgh. He has contributed many articles to books, theological dictionaries and journals, and this book is his 50th book. He has an active itinerant ministry of preaching and teaching in Singapore and abroad.

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Spiritual Life Nurtured by Silence

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