Silence: Its Power and NecessityEgzanp

Silence: Its Power and Necessity

Habakkuk 2:20 - The LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.

Silence confronts us to the point where we feel uncomfortable. It leaves us naked and defenseless before ourselves and God. We need to remain there until the discomfort that accompanies the silence starts to dissipate, and it becomes a holy silence filled with God Himself.

Silence is often uncomfortable because we are keen on performing, impressing, and meeting others' expectations. As we become silent, we start to see who we really are and become aware of what is driving us to do the things that we do. Silence helps us see where our lives have become crowded and guides us in the process of knowing where to create space.

One of the unconscious drivers today is: "More, better, higher, faster, further, newer."

People are constantly under pressure to perform better and to do more. These ‘drivers’ ultimately guide every part of their lives. In the silence, all the doing and the pressure fall away, and we start to understand who we are again. We start to see that “God made us human beings, not human doings.”

Silence helps us understand that there is a difference between our actions and who we are. It gives us time to reflect on the full meaning of our words and actions and to make adjustments for the future. Our words and deeds need to speak the same language.