The hustle and bustle of a noisy city have a way of becoming white noise. It can lull you to sleep. You almost don’t hear the noise until it is no longer there. This was my reality when I lived in Chicago.
Most evenings, in the middle of the night, I would wake up to a moment of silence. The stoplight at the intersection turned red, there were no cars moving, and all the sirens stopped. Yet, as soon as the light turned green and the hum of the cars started up again, I’d wistfully fall asleep again.
It surprised me that the silence would wake me up rather than a honking horn or a siren.
Silence. It got my attention even in my sleep.
We fill the silence with music, podcasts, thoughts, notifications, and words. I think there is an epidemic of noise in our culture. In a season of stress, busyness, and burnout is when I began to notice how noisy my world was. And as I learned to become aware of the noise, to learn what is deafening the silence, I realized just how important silence is.
Silence is imperative for the spiritual life.
Silence does more than simply allow our minds to settle down. It enables us to become better listeners in conversation. It can refresh our souls and calm anxiety. It trains us to trust our thoughts and better handle our emotions. It even enables us to have greater compassion for others and upon ourselves. Yet, more than that, it enables us to be present to the One who is always present to us. It creates a space for us to be still and hear the still small voice of the Divine. It allows us to open ourselves up to God so God might do a transforming work in us.
If your world is a bit noisy, I hope you will take a listen to this episode. I even end the episode with a prolonged moment of silence in hopes that you might find peace amidst a noisy world.
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Additionally, here are a few great resources referenced in this episode: Stillness is the Key, by Ryan Holiday; Thoughts in Solitude, by Thomas Merton; Invitation to Solitude and Silence, by Ruth Haley Barton; The Way of the Heart, by Henri Nouwen.