And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.
1 Kings 19:11-12
When I read this scripture a few weeks ago, it made me think about the relationship between sound and silence. As a musician, I appreciate the power of silence. It can grab our attention and force us to listen like nothing else. The best composers can use silence with great effect.
The prophet Elijah was going through a particularly difficult time in his life. He was on the run after Jezebel, king Ahab’s wife, threatened his life for defeating the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. He was so wrapped up in his own fear and sorrow that he asked the LORD to take his life. God needed to get Elijah’s attention to get him back on track. How did God do it? By skillfully using sound and silence. The breakthrough came out of the silence with the gentle whisper.
I began to think a little more about silence. We crave silence. Yet, when it comes, we don’t know what to do with it. We run away by filling the void with sound, afraid of what we might find when left alone with our thoughts. By doing this, we reduce our ability to listen to the voices of those around us and the small still voice that resides within us. There is much wisdom to be found when we learn to listen in silence.
Some Benefits Of Silence
It allows us to heal. Constant noise can leave you feeling stressed. Spending some time in silence can help rejuvenate the mind and reduce stress. It has the added benefit of protecting your physical hearing.
It develops our ability to listen. Hearing and listening are two different skills. As long as the ear works physically, we are able to hear. It is passive. Listening is a higher order skill. It involves active concentration and attention so that we can understand the thoughts and feelings of the one who is speaking. This requires us to silence our own minds so that we can welcome the thoughts of another with open hearts. Honing our listening skills will also develop our ability to learn. When we can learn about others by truly listening, we are likely to form more lasting relationships.
It gives us space to process. Creating a space for silence allows us to process and reflect on our daily conversations. How often do we experience clarity about a situation long after a conversation? It often happens to me when I have an opportunity to sit in silence for a few minutes.
Some Quick Ways To Carve Out Moments For Silence
- Early in the morning. Wake up early a few days a week so you can set aside some time for quiet prayer and meditation. If this seems too daunting, start with one day a week.
- On your commute. Resist turning on the car radio all the time. If you like listening to the radio or podcasts as much as I do, start with one commute a week.
- Find quiet spaces at school or work. Many public places now feature quiet spaces such as meditation rooms. When you start seeking out these places, they will appear.
- Don’t run away from silence. The truth is that we often have multiple opportunities for silence but we run from them. Maybe it happens when you are the first person home from work or school. Instead of embracing the silence, you turn on the radio or television to chase it away. Try instead to enjoy the silence, at least for a few minutes.
- Talk less. When engaging in conversations with others, become internally silent. Do not focus on what you are going to say, just listen. Try to do this as long as you can before you are required to respond. Remarkable things can happen in our relationships with others when we truly listen. People enjoy good listeners.
So the next time silence gets your attention, don’t resist. Respond. Listen closely and attentively. When Elijah heard the gentle whisper, “he went out and stood at the entrance of the cave” (1 Kings 19:13). He then encountered God, received instruction, and continued on his path.
How do you create space for silence and active listening in your life?