The Sounds of Silence

 Silence in prayer! I never was familar with it or even found a place that facilitated it or taught me about it. Growing up and beginning discipleship of Jesus in a large ministry family and the hustle of church programs, it was hard to even get a minute of no words, conversation or schedule. It wasn’t all bad, but in all the noise I missed something. I missed the being still and knowing. I missed the trust and communication of feeling so safe and known in God's Presence that I wouldn't want to fill the air with words...only worship...only connection. All of us probably know the feeling of being with someone we love and not needing to say or do anything, but having an understanding that just being with them is enough. Though God's gaze on us is much grander and more holy than the gaze of a lover looking at his love, that feeling is the same for me as I've incorporated silence in my prayer life. It's not long...and some days I struggle with it, but it has birthed a peace and a trust in my God that I wouldn't trade for anything. There is also a frightening aspect of silence in prayer that feels like you're forsaken and abandoned by God and you wonder where He is? This too is part of the silence that moves us in to a deeper trust that we have a history and knowledge of God that keeps us! We know that He is a present and faithful God...even in those questions and those 'dark night' silences.

...This is prayerful silence.

There is a silence too that is slow to listen, doesn't slander and speaks well of others. There is a silence of discretion that uses wisdom to know what stories to share and what to hold in honor before God and maybe a trusted few. There is a silence where action speaks louder than all the "thank yous" and "here's what God did through yous" There is a silence of timing and seasons to be careful to know what words to share when.

...This is beauitiful silence.

There is a silence however that breathes death. There is a silence that is ugly. Where silence in prayer breeds a deep knowing, the silence of secrets, shaming and sin breed divisions, evil and injustice. There is a silence that keeps people oppressed, enslaved and feeling used. There is a silence that fuels misunderstandings, carries heavy like a weight and keeps ears from ever having the opportunity to acknowledge what is true. There is a silence that is forced on the lips of those that need to be heard, valued & validated. There is a silence where generational sins have been kept under lock and key. There is a silence that piles on shame and grips with guilt. There is a silence in suffering that is not ok. There is a silence that manipulates, withdraws and cultivates an environment of reckless power even though it expresses itself in softness and disguises itself as loving, nice and "for the sake of keeping the peace". It is a silence that keeps lies, sin, demons and deception under cover.

...This is deadly silence.


I have known both the beauty and the ugly of silence. I sit in the tension of loving the moments of it's sound in prayer with God. I am learning to love it's sound in prayer---to show up, to listen, to be with God.

But the sound of silence that leads to death and oppression and bondage? Well, THAT is a sound I can't let go on. May we be people who hear and tell stories well. May we be people in great love and at the right time give people their voice back. May we learn the songs of suffering, uncover the mouths of those who have been taped and may we as people of God inside and out of our buildings hear the silence as it is and cultivate seeds of beauty and glory and song...with or without words.