If you want to dig deeper in your spiritual journey, check out Ruth Haley Barton’s book here.
Too Deep for Words
Sacred Rhythms - Part 3
Sunday, January 17, 2021
Romans 8:22-27, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Matthew 6:7-8, 1 Kings 19:11-13, Psalm 46:10
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.
Romans 8:26
Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10a
“Words, words, words… “ (Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2).
Have you ever noticed that even when no words are spoken aloud, the words in our heads never seem to stop flowing? Perhaps this is why most people tend to prefer sound over silence. Even if it’s just having music on in the car or a TV on in the background that nobody is really watching, there is something comforting to many about noise.
Take a moment right now to sit in absolute silence…
What do you hear?
I know I just asked you to sit in silence, but you probably noticed that’s not actually possible. In the silence of my office right now I can hear the heat flowing through the vents, the soft whir of my computer’s hard drive, birds chirping in the back yard, the sound of my own breath, and even two or three other distant tones coming from who knows where. And then of course there are the words in our own heads, which though silent, seem to grow louder and louder the longer we remain in silence. It’s almost as though our brain is taunting us… reminding us how much we need noise.
In a Minnesota lab there is a soundproof room called an anechoic chamber. The design of the walls absorbs over 99% of the ambient sound making it quite literally the “quietest place on earth.” People can hear their own heartbeat and lungs in that room, but they have also been known to hallucinate from the intensity of the silence. According to researchers at the lab, no one has been able to stand more than 45 minutes in that room.
The point is simply this. There is something extremely disorienting and even frightening about silence. Even when we say we want peace and quiet, we don’t really know how to process true silence. Given the ongoing chatter in our heads, most of us have never actually experienced true silence.
That’s where prayer comes in. The most common definition of prayer is “talking to God.” That may be true, but simply talking to God does not make for a very good relationship. Relationships require far more listening than talking, and yet it seems in our spiritual lives, we expect God to do all the listening. God listens to our thanks and praise, but God also listens to our endless complaints and demands and excuses. It is true that God is the best listener we will ever know. But if we really want a relationship with God, we’ve got to learn to listen too.
That’s why silence is so important. Some have said that silence is God’s first language, even before the first word of creation was spoken into the void. I’m not saying we all need to build our own soundproof rooms. But there is something valuable about disciplining ourselves to be more comfortable with silence. If the room goes quiet in a meeting or a conversation, we don’t always have to fill the space with words. Maybe we need to let the silence linger. Maybe something deeper is happening that we should not interrupt. The same may be true in our own souls.
When we begin to practice silence regularly, our stream of thought will increase in intensity. What was once a trickling stream in the background of our conscience almost instantly becomes Niagara Falls, and everything in us wants to start talking, even to God, to drown out the noise of our own thoughts. Words are our feeble attempt to organize thoughts that are often beyond words.
Silence does not come easily, but it is necessary for our spiritual growth. It may begin by simply letting our thoughts float by and learning not to chase them down and linger on them in that moment. The better we become at letting go and releasing that stream of thought, the more likely we are to hear a word from God… and then, eventually, we become more and more comfortable even if we don’t “hear a word.” Sometimes the best, most intimate part of a relationship is that stage when you can just sit quietly on the porch together not saying anything because just being present with each other is more than enough.
Can you imagine a relationship with God like that?
What might it look like simply to be still… to be present?
This is the beauty of silence. This is the depth of love God has for us and the depth of love our hearts long for even when we can’t articulate it. Ultimately our relationship with God is about a love that is far too deep for words.
One contemporary form of practicing this kind of silence is known as Centering Prayer. You can learn more about this practice at https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/centering-prayer-method/. Try it this week. Even if you don’t practice centering prayer in a formal sense, begin by setting a timer for 10 minutes and just sit with God in silence. Let your thoughts float by. When you get distracted, simply focus on your breathing and allow the Holy Spirit to breathe into your soul.
Try it for a few days and see how you feel. How is your relationship with God deepening? How does the practice make you more aware of God’s presence throughout your day? It’s not about getting it “right.” It’s simply about our willingness to show up and be present. God will bless our desire and God will be present with us.
For more on silent prayer, listen to this week’s sermon here:
Check out this list, “Pray All Ways,” for other ideas on expanding and deepening your prayer life.
Video of the complete worship service available at http://asburyumc-huntersville.com/live