Comfortable in the quiet.
Maybe there’s been a time you can remember where silence felt really awkward. One time I gave up music in the car for 40 days. I love listening to music in the car, so being in the silence sometimes felt boring or quiet. But sometimes being quiet is wonderful.
Noise doesn’t always communicate value. Have you ever been in a crowded room and felt alone? Conversely, sometimes we can communicate with few or no words at all. Have you ever simply hugged someone or sat together? Maybe because you were so happy or sad that there were no words necessary to communicate what you were feeling?
When I’m with the people who I’m closest to I can talk, share my heart, laugh until I cry, or even sit in silence. Even in relationship, the people who know me best are the people I can be with and sometimes not need to speak. We can simply spend time together. (Is it that obvious that I’m an introvert?)
What we discover in the silence.
When you practice being in the silence you’ll also notice how uncluttered it is. How many noises fill our day? Advertisements, media, idle conversations, gossip, distractions – all of these can be noise. And if we turn down the noise and sit in silence every once in a while, then we can remove ourselves from the pull of these distractions.
Why does silence feel unsettling? I think it’s because when everything is removed we’re forced to be uncomfortable, sit with that feeling, and dig a little deeper.
Dig deeper into your thoughts. Sit with yourself and examine aspects of your life. Reflect on relationships. Turn down the noise and strip away the distractions to find the things that are most meaningful. Think. Reflect. Pray.
Spend time in silence and dare to be uncomfortable until you can be comfortable with yourself.
