OPINION
The evenings have always been the most reflective, thoughtful, and relaxing time of the day for me.
After I have logged off work for the day, fed the kids, put up the dishes, bed time, prayers and the rest of the end-of-day activities, I will often sit in the silence.
The first few minutes can feel like a chaotic silence, remembering all of the day’s activities and the still lingering frustrations.
But, then my mind begins to settle, my heart rate slows and something inside me finally exhales.
My natural reflex, at this point, is to turn on the TV, or play a game, maybe even put on one of my favorite records.
Yet, I resist the urge and lean into the awkward silence, trusting that something worthwhile awaits me on the other side.
Silence is oftentimes resisted because its uncomfortable.
It quickly stops us from distracting ourselves from our own thoughts.
In the stillness of our minds, the things we’ve ignored resurface.
Regrets, worries, questions, uncertainties about the world and who we are becoming.
The white noise of life can drown out the emotional weight we have yet to resolve.
T.S. Eliot said, “Where shall the world be found, where will the word resound? Not here, there is not enough silence.”
Silence allows space for us to confront ourselves.
It is the fertile soil for personal growth and spiritual maturity.
Our culture tends to satisfy our desire for peace and calm with comfort, entertainment or endless chatter.
Yet this consumerist lifestyle often leaves us exhausted, treating even peace as something that we acquire rather than something to receive.
The constant stimulation does not provide the necessary time or space for reflection, gratitude, repentance or wonder and awe.
We bounce from one distraction to the next without ever fully arriving to a place of peace. The Scripture’s ancient wisdom leans heavily upon silence.
“Be still and know that I am God,” (Psalm 46:10) was never intended to be a chastisement or a reprimand.
It’s a reminder to slow down, step out of the chaotic waters of life, and remember who we are—and who God is.
Silence is not ignoring the troubles and concerns of life, but creating a space where you can objectively think through and deal with them.
Maybe we have grown so comfortable with a reactionary life that intentional silence feels extraneous and irrelevant.
Have we become accustomed to stuffing every moment in life with another song, or movie, or notification because silence asks us to be vulnerable with ourselves?
It asks us to listen to that still small voice.
To reflect.
To name what, and who, we have become and who we are becoming.
This world is determined to speak louder than the voice inside and its ever demanding of our attention.
In a world such as this, silence may be one of the last places where the soul can finally speak—and be heard.
Steve Stanley is a Providence Village resident with a doctorate in ministerial leadership with a platform on YouTube, https://www. youtube.com/@FormedNot-Performed, and on Instagram, https://www.instagram. com/formed_not_ performed. He can be reached at [email protected].
