Holy Guacamole: A Glorious Discovery of Your Undeniable WorthSýnishorn

Silent Songs

A few years ago I began practicing contemplative prayer as a part of my morning routine. I started waking up in the dark morning hours before the rest of our house bustled with the ever-present need of Mom. I sat on the sofa with a twenty-minute timer on my phone and waited in the silence. I chose a word that felt meaningful each day, like “peace” or “Jesus” or “quiet,” and I pressed every thought out of my mind with this word. I trusted that Zephaniah 3:17 was true and God was in my midst. I let my longing to experience the song He was singing bring a stillness to my body, and I just. . .sat. I did not experience some kind of mystical angelic visitation. I did not hear the audible voice of God. I did not learn any new brilliant facts about God. What I did find there in the stillness and silence was peace. 

I was suddenly aware that the frenetic way we live our lives is breaking down our spiritual grit and discipline. We are connected to everyone we know (and so many we don’t know) by technology. Yet we’re disconnected from ourselves in many ways and disconnected from God in many more. But there on my sofa, while my dog lay at my feet and my family lay in bed dreaming, I heard something in all the nothing. I heard that there is more of God’s power and love in me than I often realize. I heard that a silent God is not an ambivalent God. I listened to the promise that waiting for Him is a kind of reward in and of itself. Most of all I heard my soul exhale with relief as it remembered that God has a plan and that nothing can ever separate me from His love. It’s strange, the way spiritual things work. In silence, we can hear. In weakness, we find God’s strength. In generosity, we receive His blessing. In service to others, He meets our needs. In death, God lavishes us with eternal life.

God, we trust you are in the silence today. You are in the places where we set our phones aside and embrace the stillness. Help us to hear the joyful song of Your heart over us today. Teach us to sing along with You so that we can live in your peace and gladness.