The importance of silence

Major Gary Lacey reflects on why we need quiet in our daily lives and how to create space to listen to God.

We live in an ever-faster, technology-driven society, where success is often measured in busyness. Noise has become the stock trade of the masses. It raises the question: where do we give room to God to speak to us?

Finding silence is essential to thriving as a person and as a Christian. It gives us the opportunity to listen to God’s voice, to think and breathe, to formulate new thinking and to be sharper and better in whatever we do. There are two types of quiet: external and internal. They often go together, although not always.

Securing, scheduling and heading to a quiet space is vital. The value of intentionally seeking out a quiet place can be seen in Mark 1:35, Mark 6:31, Matthew 6:6, Psalm 62:1 and 1 Kings 19:12 and 13. All these passages highlight the restorative benefits of purposeful withdrawal to an undisturbed location and intimate prayer.

Obstacles to finding quiet might be an always-on culture, work or church demands, unsupportive environments – including family, colleagues or friends – a lack of routine or planning, or not having a space away from noise.

We must be honest: we, as the Church today, do noise. We use music to create atmosphere, we love chatter and laughter, we fill every moment we are together. Ask for silence and, for many, it’s uncomfortable. I was recently invited to speak at a church and couldn’t find a quiet spot to get my focus on God sharper. So I headed for the one place I thought would be distraction-free: the toilet. Even there, music was being piped in!

Why are we so afraid of silence? You might feel guilty about not being productive. You might be scared of being alone with your thoughts. You might find yourself saying ‘I’m too busy’, ‘I’m tired’ or‘I need to check my emails’.

Social media and technology haven’t helped. Phones, computers, tablets, smartwatches and TV can all steal time, space and attention from our lives. We have lost the art of switching off. But reclaiming space for quiet is a pressing need, individually and corporately. When life is taken up by noise, endemic busyness or other obligations, an outward relationship with Jesus can become inwardly non-existent.

Knowing we want to change something is great, but we need to commit in our relationship with God: Scripture says we must love God with all our hearts, souls and minds (see Matthew 22:37) and offer our entire selves as living sacrifices (see Romans 12:1).

Once you have found quiet, how you spend your time is unique to you. You could pray, read, write, contemplate or just be.

Contemplation is a brilliant exercise to begin with or nurture. The word itself never appears in Scripture, but contemplation – looking thoughtfully at something for a long time – is demonstrated many times. It is often described as meditation, waiting on the Lord or seeking God in solitude.

It isn’t easy in our fast-paced, always-on world but, without listening to God, mission is impossible. After visiting monasteries and contemporary expressions of new monasticism, I have fallen in love with silence. I schedule two hours every morning to sit in my conservatory and just be. It has changed my life entirely.

Yet still, I find I can’t switch off immediately. Many monastics call this moment ‘the chattering monkeys’, because a thousand thoughts swing from tree to tree in your mind. You must go through this – let the monkeys chatter! Eventually, your mind does settle and clarity appears.

Then you can listen, really listen.