The Volume of Silence

Photo by Teriz Michael, taken at the Sinai Desert in 2000

“In quietness and trust is your strength.” — Isaiah 30:15

“Solitude is the place of the great struggle and the great encounter—the struggle against the compulsions of the false self, and the encounter with the loving God who offers himself as the substance of the new self.” — Henri Nouwen

The first time I heard the sound of silence was in the Sinai desert in the vicinity of Saint Catherine’s monastery. It was January 7, 2000, and a friend of mine and I descended from the summit of Mount Sinai to an isolated valley void of humans, animals, and plants. The silence was stark and loud. I remember experiencing a flood of emotions as I took in the sacred silence. Without speaking, my friend and I knew that it was best to keep our words to ourselves until we made it back to the monastery. This encounter with silence birthed in my heart a yearning for quietness and stillness.

I grew up in central Cairo and then moved to one of the busiest neighborhoods in Jersey City; both cities can be described as bustling with many layers of noise 24 hours a day. My home and church life weren’t any quieter than the cities I grew up in. The more I was surrounded by noise, the more I felt disoriented and disconnected from myself. 

Solitude Is Not Isolation

Jesus demonstrates the importance of His time of solitude and silence as He often withdrew from the crowds to commune with the Father. Solitude is not isolation. Solitude is intentionally setting time apart to attune and attend to yourself in the presence of God’s love. Solitude is detaching from the world and its noise to cling and commune with God more intimately. Silence is choosing to turn your attention away from internal and external noise to hear the still, small voice that restores shalom—wholeness, wellness, rest, peace, and satisfaction—to your soul. Let God’s voice tell you who you are, reveal your worth, and give your directives.

As you create an internal and external environment of regular periods of solitude and silence, you’ll feel liberated from the weight of other people's opinions and expectations. The validation you get from God instead of others draws you closer to His heart and closer to others as you release them and yourself from their constant approval and validation. 

Starting a Practice of Silence

Learning to be still and hold your peace takes practice. Start with small increments and work your way up to longer periods of solitude and silence. Set your timer to five minutes, and leave all distractions behind as you sit alone in the quietest place you can find. Notice your emotions as you sit in silence and solitude, acknowledge them, and bring them to the feet of Jesus. Also, practice silence within the world of technology on social media platforms, posting nothing, sharing nothing, and holding your peace, especially when provoked by someone else’s post. Keep bringing your feelings and thoughts to Jesus as you compose a message and when you want to reply impulsively.

Silence and Conversation

The more you practice silence, the richer your conversations become with Jesus as you create space for yourself to listen to Him speak. You might start to find that as you practice silence, your thoughts become more focused, words become more valuable, and your voice more meaningful.

Silence and solitude allow us to tune into God’s voice and recognize that He would not condemn, criticize, control, complain, insist, demand, intimidate, dismiss, or accuse. Silence and stillness help us to hear His invitation to “come and let us reason together.” In that silence and solitude, there is space for cleansing and rest.