Discipline of Silence

I am reading Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard and though I have skipped through a lot of the book, I am now on the subject of the individual disciplines. The discipline of Silence has struck me. I know I usually have music or my TV on and every once in a while I make my self go through times without it all. What he says about Silence has struck me.

Pg 163, 164 highlights:
“As with all disciplines, we should approach the practice of silence in a prayerful, experimental attitude, confident that we shall be led into its right use for us. IT is a powerful and essential discipline. Only silence will allow us life transforming concentration upon God. It allows us to hear the gentle God whose only Son “shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice above the street noise” (Matt 12:19). It is this God who tells us that “in quietness and trust is your strength” (Isa. 20:15, NAS).

Such practice also helps us to listen and to observe, to pay attention to people. How rarely are we ever truly listened to, and how deep is our need to be heard. I wonder how much wrath in human life is a result of not being heard. James says, “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (1:19)

In witnessing, the role of talking is frequently overemphasized. Does that sound strange? It’s true. Silence and especially true listening are often the strongest testimony of our faith… As Miguel de Unamuno says “we need to pay less attention to what people are trying to tell us and more to what they tell us without trying.”

How few of us live with quiet inner confidence, and yet how many of us desire it. But such inward quiet is a great grace we can receive as we practice not talking. And when we have it, we may be able to help others who need it. After we know that confidence, we may, when others come fishing for reassurance and approval send them to fish in deeper waters for their own inner quiet.

Later on Willard recommends waking up in the middle of the night to be in silence, to maybe use that to have your quiet time so not to impose on the times of others. I think it is a great thing to try to do. Now, if I can die to self and do it.