Make Room for Silence

One of the most transformative moments in my Journey with Christ came in High School. I quietly sat and listened as a friend explained to me that I had wounded them, once again, with my words. This was not the first time that I had a conversation like this with someone I cared about. I read in Ezekiel 3 that day, where Ezekiel sat alone and in silence for seven days until the word of the Lord came to him. That day I stopped talking . . . literally . . . I retreated to a lake near my home to be alone with God. For three days I said nothing, and only listened. In Psalm 131:2, David said that he had trained his heart to be silent. What might we hear from God if we did the same? What peace might we find in stillness before the Father? What meaning might our words find in the place of silence? What if we chose to speak, only when spoken through? 

Today’s Scripture

“But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” - Psalm 131:2

Right Now Media

Hearing God by Dallas Willard

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Tip from Levi

The most difficult part is not silencing your mouth; it’s silencing your mind. It usually takes me 10 minutes of verbal silence for my mind to actually stop racing on about my day, my relationships, and my favorite show. Brennan Manning once shared an exercise that has been helpful for me to silence my heart. He suggests that with the rhythm of your breath, silently inhale “Abba (Father),” and exhale “I belong to You.” Doing this repeatedly will take you out of the day-to-day, and into the presence of the Father in a powerful way.

Study Suggestions

Meditate on Ecclesiastes 5:2 – How can you let this thought transform your interactions with God?