Silence

I’m writing this blog as I look out my window at a winter wonderland. The last two days I have been on a “Save the Trees” campaign in our front and back yard. Rake in hand, I have maniacally been slapping and tapping the snow encased, drooping branches of the trees. I feel such a responsibility for them. I blame it on the Forest Therapy sessions we had last fall. Spending time in nature, with these trees, has given me a different perspective. It’s like they have come alive for me which makes it really hard to see them under such duress.  In spite of my efforts, we still lost one big evergreen and a young tree that just couldn’t hold up. Literally.

It made me sad.

The storm is causing havoc inside as well as outside. Our internet has been out for two days. Silence has invaded our house. It has taken up residence and is holding us hostage.

My internet-dependent husband (who happens to have Covid at the same time) is left to his own devices to while away the time. He stares out the windows a lot and watches the crazy woman smacking the trees, in between snacking and blowing his nose. No NFL playoff game to watch or stock market updates. He’s living out, what I told him, was his biggest nightmare. Being alone with me for hours with no technological distractions. The chance of a God-themed conversation looming in the air.

Silence for me is delightful. It hasn’t always been that way. I wasn’t always comfortable with silence, until I learned it’s the hiding place of God. The whispers of God are best detected in silence. It’s a holy space.

Which makes me realize why so many people don’t know God. The greatest trick of the devil is to keep our heads full of noise and distractions. That’s a real easy thing to do in our tech savvy world. It’s a discipline and a practice to find the silence. Many of us work more at avoiding silence than plunging into it. There is a fear associated with just being.

Why are we afraid of silence?

It’s in silence that we hear the truth. We come face to face with reality. And that reality isn’t always comforting. We face the reality of our relationships, the reality of our confusion and doubts, the reality of unfulfilled dreams, the reality of aging, the reality of poor choices. Distractions allow us to ignore these things…temporarily.

Trusting that God is in the silence, and God’s wisdom and love are there also, to walk us through the realities, brings a sense of peace. The hard edges of reality are softened by gratitude and hope.

Don’t be afraid of silence. Let yourself go there. Invite God in. I think you’ll be surprised by the outcome. You might just start to look forward to an internet free day.

Joan