Discipline of Silence

According to Bernie Krause, a man who records nature sounds for tv and film, in 1968 it took 15 hours of recording time to get one hour of natural sound with no interruptions such as planes or cars. Today to get the same hour of uninterrupted natural sound it takes him 2000 hours of recording time. Wow! I remember when I was younger and the power would go out. The house was so silent. The little background noises that you tuned out like the refrigerator and the furnace weren't even there. There was no humming or buzzing of any electronics. The silence was almost deafening. This last year when the power went out I was kind of excited to light candles and play board games and enjoy the silence till I realized that we still had phones, lap tops and Ipads with battery life. The noise could continue.

What kind of noise is in your life? Think about the visual "noise" as well. Are you the type of person that has to have the tv on at all times? Do you constantly have earphones in with music playing? Are you ever just quiet? Why do we fill every waking moment and space of our lives with noise? Why is the silence so hard to handle?

Are you ever alone or do you always need someone around you? Do you truly listen for God's direction for your problems or do you spend more time talking to others and worrying about it?

Do you ever wish that God would speak up? Is it possible that all of the noise in our lives makes it harder to hear God's voice? Matthew 11:28 says," Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." If I am not still and I do not listen, how is Jesus going to give me rest? I don't know about you, but it seems that even in my times of "rest" I subject myself to hours of tv and other noise and I don't end up feeling refreshed. Think of a time in your life where you felt that you could really hear God. I think for most they would point to a camp or retreat where they were away from all of the normal "noise" of life and out in the wilderness just enjoying God. It seems like it's so easy to hear Him in places like that. Then we come home, go back to our routines and chaos and wonder why God seems so far away.

Ps 4:4 says, "Search your hearts and be silent." When was the last time you spent in silence? Why do we avoid silence? Are we afraid of what we might hear? Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. These were regular disciplines Jesus had. Silence. Solitude.

What are some things you could change in your daily life to eliminate some of the noise? I know that I somehow feel guilty or unproductive if there is silence or stillness. I cheat myself out of quality time with God and good rest. Every moment is so full of noise and stimulus that I have trouble focusing on any one thing. For me, I need to schedule quiet time and give myself permission to indulge in it. I need to recognize that it has a purpose and is healthy. Why do you think that taking a vow of silence is a common practice in monasteries? Those men have committed their lives to knowing God. Apparently "being still" and "knowing God" go hand in hand. Is it possible that you've been searching for God in the winds, the earthquakes and fires and he's waiting to speak to you in the silence? I challenge you to spend a day, or part of a day being purposeful about silence. Unplug yourself. Close your mouth. Spend time listening and reading and writing and see what God says. Develop the discipline of Silence.

(Resolved discussion using Rob Bell's Nooma video called Noise)