“In order to pray I have to be paying more attention to God than to what people are saying to me; to God than to my clamoring ego. Usually, for that to happen there must be a deliberate withdrawal from the noise of the day, a disciplined detachment from the insatiable self.”
― Eugene H. Peterson, The Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction
I just returned from our annual Spirit Walk retreat. This is a time to pray and reflect away from the routine of daily life. As a part of the retreat, we have a Day of Silence—12 hours of no talking/no music/no media.
Just a Bible, a journal, and a prayerful awareness of God.
The most common comment after our time of silence is how loud everything sounds, and how hard it is to utter those first words that break the silence (though one of our interns burst into the dining hall loudly greeting everyone with a hearty “Hello, people!”). For some, it is the first time they have been silent for an extended period and left to listen for the voice of God. But, in the silence, their prayers could echo what heard what God is saying to them.
To whom am I listening? If I am surrounded by music, podcasts, meetings, i.e. daily life, all-day everyday, what are all those voices telling me? Where are my prayers? Where is my attention? Where am I finding out who I am?
It may not be possible to have a 12 hour time of silence, but there is time every day for 30 minutes or an hour. Deliberately withdraw from the day. Turn from the noise of the day to the still, small voice of God. Pray in disciplined silence. Let him reveal who you are.
And then loudly greet everyone with “Hello, people!”.
