Comfortable Silence

Does silence ever make you uncomfortable? It makes me uncomfortable sometimes. Especially when I am trying to get to know a new friend. I often feel nervous when there is a lull in the conversation, leaving an awkward silence. And although it is not a sin, we probably all know someone who talks like silence is a sin. For some reason, it seems we like to avoid silence. Yet, I have found that silence can be an ultimate sign of comfort. In my closest relationships, I find that I don’t feel awkward when there is silence between us. I don’t feel pressured to perform or guilty that I am not entertaining them. I feel safe around someone when I know it is okay not to speak—when I can just sit and enjoy being in their presence. To me, it’s a sign of a healthy relationship when silence becomes comfortable. In the same way, I think it’s easy for us to feel pressure or discomfort when God seems silent. God always loves to hear us talk to Him in prayer, and He always answers in His perfect timing. But I wonder if the times we feel like God is silent are actually opportunities for us to rest in the assurance of our relationship with Him. Jesus came to earth to make right our broken relationship with Him and give us an opportunity to be with Him again. And I think part of restoring that right relationship could be obtaining a comfortable silence—a peace in God’s presence and character. • Abigail Scibiur • Do you feel uncomfortable when it seems like God is silent? Why do you think you feel uncomfortable in those times? • If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that we are totally secure in His love (John 10:28-30). How might this truth give you hope in times of silence? • Do you agree that “comfortable silence” is a sign of a healthy relationship? Do you feel like you have that kind of relationship with God? Who is a trusted Christian you could talk to about practices that might help you grow closer to God? “The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in his love ” Zephaniah 3:17 (CSB)

Read Verses:

Psalm 62; Ephesians 3:17