The Art of Quiet

I'm trying to learn the value of simply being quiet. There is so much noise in our world, "silence" is a precious commodity. I've even wondered if silence is extinct. Can it still be found? If so, where? Does anyone have any silence left? If you do, I think I'd like to buy some.

I realize silence is a relative construct. In as much as I can appreciate the thought of "being still," perfect silence is almost deafening -- nearly disturbing in itself. When I can find it, my ears literally ring with a buzzing noise. Is it really that foreign to my ears? Maybe this is critical commentary on how unfamiliar we are with silence.

Finding relative silence and learning to be quiet is an art (actually a discipline) rarely practiced even by the more spiritually mature among us. Truth be known, we're addicted to noise. We like noise and what it does for us. Fact is, we're uncomfortable in the presence of others when there is silence and we resist even ourselves when silence moves in. Why?

Perhaps it is avoidance of the important things -- the penetrating matters of life. Like rearranging all the stuff on your desk, but doing nothing to accomplish the work all those piles represent, keeping things "noisy" rearranges the life-stacks among us, but doesn't do anything to advance the cause of being better people or more like Jesus.

Throughout Scripture, when God speaks, he doesn't blow the listener away in mega-decibels, though He is certainly capable of doing so. Ironically, it is typically God's people who are making all the noise (Ex. 32;:17; Ezra 3:13; Amos 5:23)! Shouting, complaining, fighting... or even singing praises, for thousands of years we are the ones always making all the noise.

God's speech is too often in a whisper or a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12; Job 26:14) for us to neglect silence or at least a little peace and quiet. In all the noise around us, could we hear God even if He were speaking? Some postulate God doesn't speak that way anymore. I'm begging the question, "How in the world do we know?" Can we really make that statement with any confidence? Maybe, like rearranging our desktops and not getting any work done but the appearance changes, we find that noise is a convenient way to avoid listening!

I even have to wonder about how much pride is involved when we can't be quiet long enough to hear if God is speaking. "My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore." (Ps. 131)

Now, if you'll excuse me. I'll be looking for some quiet. I'll let you know if I hear anything.