In a world saturated with noise and distractions, silence has become a rare commodity that many of us fear rather than cherish. Yet, there’s profound wisdom and necessary growth waiting in these quiet moments that we so actively try to avoid.
I recently experienced one of the darkest periods of my life, a time so difficult that it led me to question my faith and my future. During a particularly intense session with my spiritual director, amidst tears and turmoil, he posed a simple yet profound question: “When was the last time you were quiet?” This question wasn’t about my lack of spoken words, but rather the absence of noise—no music, no podcasts, no incessant buzz of social media. Just pure, unadulterated silence. I was at a loss; genuine silence had eluded me for longer than I cared to admit.
The Fear of What Lies Within
Historically, silence was a natural part of life. The rhythmic patterns of daily tasks provided moments of quiet introspection. However, modern technology has filled every crevice of our lives with sound and fury. From the moment we wake, we’re bombarded by notifications, media, and endless streams of entertainment that drown out our inner thoughts.
Our fear of silence often stems from what it forces us to confront. In the stillness, we face the aspects of ourselves that we spend our days running from. Our insecurities, our doubts, our unresolved emotions—they all come to the forefront when we stop filling the void with noise.
The Noise Inside Us
What we often don’t realize is that the cacophony doesn’t just come from our devices; it resonates from within. Those who seem to carry an inner peace are increasingly rare, replaced by people who are constantly overwhelmed and overstimulated. We react impulsively rather than reflectively, unable to parse through our feelings and thoughts because we’ve lost the practice of stillness.
The result is a superficial engagement with the world that leaves us exhausted and unfulfilled. We think we can avoid the emptiness by staying busy, but eventually, it catches up to us. We encounter moments that demand we face our inner turmoil—yet without the practice of silence, we’re unequipped to handle them.
The Call to Silence
Silence is more than the absence of sound. It is a spiritual discipline that uncovers the noise within our souls. The Monks of New Skete, in their writings, explain that silence exposes the depth of our self-centeredness, a revelation that can initially be unsettling but ultimately transformative. It’s about letting the chaos within us settle, confronting our inner demons, and allowing ourselves to undergo the difficult but necessary process of spiritual growth.
Embracing silence doesn’t mean shunning all modern conveniences or avoiding social interactions. It’s about creating intentional spaces of quiet to reflect, pray, and listen. It’s about learning to be comfortable with being alone with our thoughts and allowing God to speak into the stillness.
Becoming Deep People
Richard Foster, a celebrated spiritual writer, once noted that the world doesn’t need more smart or talented people as much as it needs deep people—individuals rooted in spiritual depth and understanding. This depth only comes from the practice of silence, from becoming still enough to let our true selves and God’s voice emerge amidst the quiet.
In our fear of what silence might reveal, we forget that it also holds the key to our peace and personal growth. By facing the silence, we learn to face ourselves. We find clarity that the constant noise of life obscures. We connect more deeply with our creator, with others, and with our own soul.
If you find yourself constantly surrounded by noise, I challenge you to carve out moments of silence in your day. Start small, perhaps a few minutes of quiet reflection in the morning or a brief tech-free walk. Listen to the thoughts that rise when you quiet the external chaos. What you discover might change how you see yourself and the world.
Let’s not shy away from silence, but instead embrace it as the pathway to deeper faith, greater self-understanding, and a truly enriched life.
