Perhaps there are few moments in our day that we get to enjoy silence. Whether it’s the demands of work and family, the bombardment of news and current events, or the constant influx of entertainment and social media, life tends to be very noisy to say the least. And while part of us just gets used to the noise and might actually find it comforting, our souls need a silent night from time to time as well.
On the one hand, silence gives us a chance to catch our breath – to listen to the deep movements of our heart and to consider thoughts beyond the immediate and urgent demands in front of us.
At the same time, silence is often disruptive and exposing when it’s not something we’re used to. Thoughts and feelings usually kept at bay now surface and leave us feeling out of control without our usual comfortable blankets of noisy distraction. The noise has become our status quo – making silence feel as if something is wrong or out of place.
Silent nights allow our souls to come home to what is true and good once again – turning down the volume and unplugging from the constant noise around us. This quiet time might be at night as we wind down from the day, or first thing in the morning before we get started. And to be sure, it can be at any time throughout the day that we get to be alone with our own thoughts and inner world.
We risk losing ourselves and our sense of grounding without regular moments of silence – standing in danger of becoming one with the noise rather than remembering who are in the midst of it.
In the end, don’t let the noise of the world drown out your true needs. Allow many silent nights to refresh, restore, and renew your weary soul.
Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash
