A few years ago I had to make several international trips to Thailand and Africa, so I invested in Bose QuietComfort Noise Canceling Headphones. I’ve got to say, I love them! They are comfortable and they sound great. But best of all, I can enjoy complete silence at 30,000 feet with 450 other people all around me.
The older I get the more I value silence. Unfortunately, it’s not really something that is available in abundance in our society. Everywhere you go, there’s music playing or a TV on and if not, our iPods allow us to take it with us–anywhere, anytime. It’s almost as if we are afraid of silence.
Because of that propensity to filling our lives with noise, we’re missing out. We were created for times of stillness and silence. Why? In large part for communion with our creator. You can’t hear a still small voice standing next to a jack hammer.
I believe that noise is also expressed in busy-ness, our full calendars & the myriad of activities which drown out any hope of peace. A friend expressed it to me this way last week, “Doing is highly rewarded and that’s what keeps us from being.”
As my wife can agree, I’m certainly no silence or stillness expert, but I will share with you what I’m learning.
1. Silence is not easy.
Like everything else in life, I have to make time for silence.
2. Silence is not comfortable.
Often silence brings me face to face with my true self, which is never pretty.
3. Silence requires honesty.
I can not be silent and face my true self without complete transparency.
Gregory of Sinai, a 14th century Turk put it this way, ”Nothing is better for rendering the heart penitent and the soul humble than wise solitude and complete silence”.
Years ago Ben Benson wrote a book called He Speaking Softly, learning to hear God’s voice. The point of the book is simple, “God has something to say to you!” Bob goes on to say that if we really believed that, it would change everything about our lives. I think he’s right. I think we need stillness. I think we need silence. Bose had it right. We need to cancel the noise.
What’s the noise that keeps you from silence?
This is especially timely in this season, leading up to Christmas. Rather than Advent being a quiet time of preparation, it has become the noisiest time of the year. It takes tremendous focus—and intentionality—to find silence. I think I need to go on a long flight somewhere!
Thanks Michael. Think we could convince Gail & Lorri to let us go to Thailand for Christmas shopping?