Silence Is Golden - Martin Wiles

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Matthew 6:6 NLT

“The Sound of Silence” was written by Paul Simon of the duo Simon and Garfunkle over several months between 1963 and 1964. In 1966, the song, which tells of a man who failed to communicate, hit number one on the Billboard 100.

Although silence can have damaging effects, it can also be golden. After teaching around one hundred middle school students daily, I’m ready for silence when I get home. Following an end-of-first-semester party for our middle schoolers at the local bowling alley—one my wife attended with me—my wife now understands why I want silence when I get home.

Jesus also thought a great deal of silence. People who wanted to hear him teach, see him perform miracles, or do something for them constantly mobbed him. Along with those who wanted something were the religious hound dogs who continually searched for some reason to arrest and even kill Jesus. Getting away by himself or with his disciples was essential for maintaining his and their sanity. It is for me, too.

A little white noise is good. My wife and I sleep with fans blowing. We wake up when the power goes off, and complete silence overshadows us. But the other types of noises that often characterize a day—loud voices, machines, vehicles, horns, train whistles, screaming kids, shouting customers, television shows, and internet voices—can drown out the most critical voice we need to hear. While God can speak amid the noise, we’re more apt not to hear him when noise abounds. Jesus says we need to get in our prayer closet—whether we take that literally or not.

Silence helps us focus. I want to hear God’s voice and focus on his words. We need to listen to him clearly so we can think soberly. Silence is necessary for accomplishing this task.

Obedience is much easier when we can hear God unmistakably and focus on his words. And when we obey, peace follows. We experience peace when we submit to and follow God’s will. Anything less will produce noise.

Find a place and time where you can be silent before God daily.

Father, I long for silence to hear your Spirit speak clearly to my spirit. 

Tweetable: Where do you find your silence? 

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