Silence - A little Used Spiritual Discipline

This morning in my reading I came across a devotion from Pastor Gregg Randall on the subject of silence. I had to share it with you.

Both Richard Foster and Dallas Willard write about silence and solitude as under used spiritual disciplines in their books. In Ezekiel 3:15, we can read about the prophet sitting down among the people to whom he was to minister and saying nothing for 7 days. We preachers like to talk. We are encouraged to talk. People expect us to have answers for their life difficulties. We believe we have the answers. It's hard to remain silent when God has called us, anointed us, and sent us out to be shepherds and watchmen.

Prior to Ezekiel's week of silence, he has experienced an incredible vision of God's glory and majesty. He sees, he hears, he tastes God's presence. Now the Spirit lifts him away and he goes and sits among the exiles who lived at Tel Abib, near the Kebar River and sits among them. Most of us would have just started telling everyone about that holy moment. Sometimes it good to just sit rather than being spontaneous.

It would do us well to rediscover the blessings of silence. After all, we live in a loud world, filled with noise and many voices. What can we learn from Ezekiel's silence?

1. The silence of grief. Ezekiel was grieved for his people. He was taking time to enter into their grief. He was placing himself in their suffering.

2. The silence of wonder. He was taking time to reflect on what God had revealed to him. He was astonished. He was taking some time to digest and comprehend the magnitude of what had just been revealed to him.

3. The silence of sympathy. We need to take time to weep with those who weep, to mourn with those who mourn, to hurt with those who hurt. We too often speak before having taken time to experience the other person's pain or suffering.

4. The silence of anticipation. As of yet, Ezekiel had not heard from God what he was to speak. What was the message he was to share? He knew he was called to the people. But what exactly was he to say? So he waits in silence.