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Why is Silence Essential in Prayer

17 October 2021 blogpastor 2 Comments

Treasuring silence is one of hardest and oddest thing to do in modern urban society. But it is absolutely necessary if we care about our spirituality and growth in maturity. The spiritual discipline of silence is essential material for our formation into godly persons. In this discipline we shut our souls up from all kinds of sounds: whether they be noise, music, or conversation; and from the inner chatter that never ceases in our minds. We seek this stillness and quiet with the aim of giving our full attention to God. The practice of silence is a tough act but there are good reasons why it is golden for spiritual growth.

Why Silence Is Essential

First, silence helps us cultivate a disposition of openness to God – a disposition of listening. “So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening’” (1Sam3:9). A rested body and soul seemed to be of help in receiving God’s communications, but more importantly, having a disposition that is ready to listen to God, open to whatever he shared. And if we are constantly talking TO God, we cannot be listening to him at the same time. We need to make a shift and listen more and talk less. The challenge to listening to God is that we often shelter too much inner noises of anxiety and turbulence and preferences that block us from noticing God’s notifications and invitations to us.

Second, silence demonstrates a disciple’s trust and dependence on God. Rather than leaning on his own understanding to analyze and solve problems, or make a choice or plan, the disciple prefers to lean on and patiently wait for God’s wisdom and power to be shared. Rather than figuring a way out without any reference to God, the disciple discusses, listens and collaborates with the Lord in “osmotic prayer” – a process similar to osmosis where the Lord weaves in his wisdom and will into the disciple’s consciousness as a matter is discussed with God. “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation” (Psalms 62:1,5).

Third, it reflects a beautiful posture of worship and reverence. “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Hab 2:20). When a great and holy personage walks onto the stage, the only appropriate action is to stop whatever you have been doing, shut your mouth and open your eyes to see, and ears to listen attentively. Such a respectful response of silent attention to God is appropriate whenever we begin prayer too. Be silent before him.

Fourth, as our friendship with God grows more intimate it naturally gravitates towards more silence. Great intimates and lovers are known to communicate in silence. They understand the sounds of silence: expressions of love in the eyes or gentle touch, that look, the smile, the twinkle in the eye, the knowing nod, the kiss, the silent gaze. Someone described this form of prayer as: “I look at Him, and He looks at me”. Gazing at each other with love and in silence.

Fifth, when silence is coupled with solitude over a few days, it often yields the fruit of quiet reflection and meditation: a God given “know thyself” and the surfacing of past memories and emotions that had been repressed during your hurried and harried life. The Holy Spirit wants to help with the processing of these raw and painful materials so that the sting of these can be discerned and extricated, and forgiveness received and released, and the wounds healed and sealed. It was in “a sound of sheer silence”(1 Kings 19:12), not the earthquake, storm or fire, that the Lord revealed himself, surfacing his repressed indignation, disappointment with God, and fear. Having helped Elijah processed his repressed pain, God restored Elijah, and re-commissioned him.

Suggested Exercises for Silence

Set a timer to five minutes and gradually increase it to twenty minutes of silence. Sit comfortably in a relaxed posture. Breath in and out slowly and deeply and focus on our breath. This focus on our breath will help draw our attention away from outer and inner noise. It will help us be quiet before God.

Once you have done the above exercise, add this exercise to it. Imagine God the Father or the Son in front of you. Be conscious of his loving presence. He looks at you without condemnation, but with loving kindness and warm affection. No words: just gazing at each other with love.

Mother Teresa was once interviewed and what a memorable interview it was!

Interviewer: When you pray what do you say to God?

Teresa: I don’t talk, I simply listen.

Interviewer: Ah then, what is it that God says to you when you pray?

Teresa: He also doesn’t talk. He also simply listens.

Interviewer: (Long puzzled silence)

Teresa: “If you cannot understand the meaning of what I just said, I am sorry but there is no way I can explain it any better.”

Last exercise: Imagine you have an audience with God Almighty our heavenly Father, so take time to quietly reflect and note down what you are going to say to God, what petition you plan to present to God. Prepare yourself. When ready to meet with God, kneel before him, with your notes, and begin to reverently present your petitions to God carefully and reverently. “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few” (Eccl 5:1,2).

Silence, solitude and prayer

9 October 2017 blogpastor Leave a comment

This simple message was preached at New Horizon Church. It expresses my conviction about the great need for a more contemplative approach to prayer in the church. If we want to live a life that pleases God, we need to learn to silence the inner noise and listen to God. We need to learn spiritual discernment. This contemplative spirituality is akin to the old Pentecostal tradition of waiting on God. We Pentecostals should not be overly cautious about wading into the waters of contemplative spirituality.

The Importance of Rhythms in Prayer

16 August 2024 blogpastor Leave a comment

For about seven years, Jimmy Tan, Koh Seng Chor and I (above picture, from R to L) have been meeting in a 3-2-1 spiritual friendship. We have met in our homes, the Railway Mall, the office or the great outdoors. Three persons, for about two hours of sharing life and prayers, once a month. This circle of authenticity and accountability has been a blessing in my life.

The Rev Dr Jimmy Tan is a chaplain, and lecturer of pastoral and practical theology at Trinity Theological College. The courses that he teaches include pastoral care, pastoral spirituality, pastoral theology, marriage and family, and Christian spirituality. He regularly leads retreats and offers spiritual direction at the college and beyond. Seng Chor and I have been blessed by his insights, authentic sharing and prayers of faith and I am sure we have been a blessing to him.

On the 14th of August, the college recently had their annual Day of Prayer when faculty, staff and students (about 180) came together for prayer. I read the talk that Jimmy gave to them at the beginning of the day. I was so blessed and inspired I asked for his permission to share the script in this blog post. Here goes:

If we pause to notice, we will observe that ‘life is full of rhythms’

The daily rising and setting of the sun, and how it influences our circadian rhythms. The rhythm of our heartbeats or the lack of it, how it communicates good health or concern. The rhythm of our breathing correlates with the pace of our walking, running, or resting. In rhythm, one seems to do better; in rhythm, a gymnast delivers a more beautiful floor exercise; in rhythm; a sprinter clocks a faster timing; in rhythm, a marathoner pushes on to the finishing line. Out of rhythm, a higher-ranked badminton player loses to an opponent many rungs lower. Out of rhythm, a student struggles to write a single line of an essay.

Rhythm affects our lives more than we realize

Even with our leisure and moods; rhythm has its influence. Music and dance with a good sense of rhythm make for better music, dance, and relaxation. Poetry, with its rhythm, brings forth its point with delight. A good rhythm in communication engenders deeper trust and makes for a better community.

Rhythm impacts our lives beyond the surface

And we find the sense of rhythm in Scripture. The author of Genesis utilizes the rhythm of day and night to describe God’s creative activity. The psalmist uses regularity and consistency for the practice of prayer and praise. Indeed, the chiastic structure of the psalm communicates the author’s point with greater impact. Jesus, himself, regularly goes out to quiet places to pray and be in communion with his Father.

God’s wisdom, grace, and mercy is communicated in rhythmic provision. Six days of work and one day of rest; six years of production and one year of rejuvenation; forty-nine years of activity and one great year of Jubilee!

Scripture is imbued with rhythm

If a sense of rhythm pretty much permeates our living consciousness and impacts the quality of our lives, we ask why a sense of rhythm is strategic to prayer. We have noted that the Psalmist embraces a sense of rhythm in his expression. Seven times a day, he prays. Through the travails of the night, he prays.

Then the early church tells us about their times of prayer. These were regular hours through a day: intentionally spaced out: at 6am, 9am, midday, 3pm, at the setting of the sun, and before one retires for the day. They were strategically placed to pepper the day with prayer consciousness. These hours became known as the divine hours, and the practice of prayer, the Daily Office. Together, they distinguished the church through the ages.

The regularity of prayer did not just carry them over a day, but also a week, and then through a year with its liturgical seasons. There were prayers for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany; there were prayers for Lent, Easter, and the Ascension. And there were prayers for Trinity Sunday, and Sunday after Sunday, till Advent came around again. The rhythm of the lectionary tells the story of Christ and his church, over and over again. And so, the practice of prayer coinhered with the regularity of rhythm – daily, weekly, and annually. And this is what our chapel roster is patterned after.

But the practice of prayer is not just rhythmic. It is, in fact, rhythm in relation

If we regard prayer as a conversation with God. Does this conversation benefit from an expression in rhythmic form? During National Service, we learnt to use the walkie-talkie; and to use it well, we learnt and practised the discipline of communicating with it.

“Alpha to Command Center, over.”

“Command Center to Alpha, send over.”

“Alpha asking for permission to proceed to checkpoint two, over.”

“Alpha, permission granted, over.”

“Alpha, Roger and out.”

We learn to hear, and then we learn to respond; this hearing and responding is itself a rhythmic expression of communion with God. Perhaps that is why, in the observance of prayer throughout the day, we pause from our labours for a moment to hear better; and pray better. Especially with a hectic schedule, which often calls us to many tasks and engagements, the pause at midday or evening brings refreshment to our weary bodies and minds and helps to re-centre our distracted souls in God. Has it not been our experience where the pause to pray became a blessing rather than a bane in a crazy workday? Just this past Sunday, I was reminded of the blessing of a pause in silence.

In her acceptance speech, the British actress, film-maker, and poet, Michaela Coel, the first black woman to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing, said,

“In a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others… [and] to be constantly visible (for visibility these days seems to somehow equate to success), do not be afraid to disappear, from it, from us, for a while, and see what comes to you in the silence.” (Acceptance speech 2021 Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for HBO’s I May Destroy You).

Today, we learn to disappear for a while, into the silence, to receive some reprieve through the rhythms of prayer. For……

These rhythms of prayer heal us of our restlessness and addictions.

These rhythms of prayer guide us to commune with God.

These rhythms of prayer offer us the beautiful gift of a yielded life.

These rhythms of prayer sustain us over the long haul of discipleship.

These rhythms of prayer bring us life.