Deafening Silence

Silence. It’s so foreign to our Western ears that its very presence can be deafening. As I sit here writing, the sounds of traffic thunder through the walls of my house, taking away any chance at silence. Like most people I cherish silence, except when it comes from God. Nothing compares to the silence of God. That seems to be the time when silence becomes overwhelmingly deafening.

The sound of silence as divorce papers are finalized cuts through to the core of the heart. The sound of silence after receiving bad news from the doctor rings in the ears for what seems like an eternity. The sound of silence in a lonely, empty house echoes through the soul until the early morning hours. Silence. What is it good for?

Does God’s silence mean that He isn’t speaking? Through silence God is communicating volumes without saying a word.

~God’s silence shines light on my doubt. The light reveals that it isn’t as small as I once thought.

~God’s silence magnifies my fears. The magnifying glass divulges there is more there than I ever admitted.

~God’s silence exhibits my selfishness. The exhibition appears to far outlast any display of selflessness.

With silence God allows the chaos of the soul to finally be heard. God’s silence as Jesus hung on the cross communicated His love for a chaotic humanity. It's because of God's silence at the cross of Jesus that He can be heard in the silence of the cross you bear today. Allow the seemingly silent God to speak to your soul this week, and allow your soul’s cry to respond to Him through the silence.