Draw Close: 21 Days to Know GodSample

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10a NLT

Silence.

Silence can be uncomfortable. An awkward lull in conversation makes us feel like we need to say something, anything, to fill the silence. Being given the “silent treatment” - that’s uncomfortable, too. Our environments are noisy. We listen to music, and podcasts, we have the TV on for background noise, etc. We create an “atmosphere” with music. We even use white noise to get to sleep!

Why is silence uncomfortable? Is it because we feel pressured to always be doing or saying something and silence means no activity?

Silence. Just being. Just breathing. When we shut down all the noise we really begin to hear. To hear our breath, our heartbeat, the tiny ambient noises that get covered up. A bird singing outside, the wind.

Jesus had a lot of noise in his environment, too. The crowd calling out to get his attention, the marketplace full of noisy vendors, the questions from the disciples. Noise. Lots of it.

So he sought out silence and solitude:

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16

He needed silence, alone time with his Father. It was a priority for him.

We need that, too. Silence and alone time with our Father.

Today pray in silence. No worship music. Just silence. It might feel uncomfortable. That’s OK. Sit in that silence and listen. Your Father is always speaking but he doesn’t shout at us. His voice can be heard in the silence.