The Great Silence

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An Invitation Into Sacred Stillness

It’s the words I hear once a month–“let’s enter the Great Silence”—an invitation to enter into a sacred space, to quiet my mind, open my heart, and meet with the Lord. But something was different this time. 

For years, I’ve met monthly with my spiritual director. After a few minutes of chatting, she always invites me into “the Great Silence”—a time to listen to the Lord and receive His love, teaching, and healing. But this time, the words took on an entirely new meaning.

Hearing the Words

Oftentimes, in the Great Silence, I’ll hear words of comfort or affirmation from the Lord. At other times, it will be more directional. And still other times, I’ll experience the soothing effect of silence itself. In this last meeting with my spiritual director, as I heard her inviting me into quiet prayer, the words, “Great Silence,” began to wash over me. As I soaked in the balm of silence, I realized its power lay in God’s omnipresence—the One who is present everywhere. The Great I Am lives in the silence. Yes, He lives everywhere; however, the silence provides an invitation to experience some of the ways God has more for us. And what is that ‘more’?

The ‘More’ God Has

None of us can fully describe the ‘more,’ because it looks different for each of us. But I know this: there is always more. God’s nature is limitless, immeasurable, eternal—and His invitation into more is always available.

We have an open invitation to know and experience more of God, because His mercy, forgiveness, healing, and love are endless. I don’t know what the Lord has in store for you, but I do know this: He longs to give you more just as a good Father who loves His children would. The choice is ours—to accept His invitation and step into the Great Silence.

Practice the Great Silence 

Practicing the Great Silence is like any other spiritual discipline—daily prayer, observing the Sabbath, reading scripture and spiritual writings, study, confession, and so on—it requires practice. Whether you are practicing your golf swing or fine-tuning your sourdough bread recipe, there is no shortcut to improvement. As is frequently quoted, “practice makes permanent.” (For additional reading on spiritual disciplines, read Richard Foster’s  Celebration of Discipline; it is an excellent resource on spiritual practices.)

Hurdles

One of the biggest hurdles to the Great Silence is avoiding it. Avoiding the quiet can leave us void of an encounter with the Lord. Silence can feel uncomfortable or even scary. We often fill silence with whatever is available to us, and God knows we have found countless ways to do that, especially in the digital age. 

Busyness is another hurdle. Endless to-do lists and appointments make it easier to keep moving than to be still. Yet stillness (or exterior silence) must precede interior silence.

Fear of silence can also be a hurdle to encountering God. We may be asking, what if I don’t hear anything? What if I hear harshness and condemnation? Silence is a balm. It is soothing, restoring, and gentle if we receive it as a gift. We don’t have to hear anything to sit in God’s presence. His presence is enough. Give thanks for the silence. And if the words are condemning, I’m not a betting person, but I’d bet they are not from the Lord. I don’t know about you, but I am my own worst critic. If the words you hear don’t bring life, delete them! 

Entering The Great Silence

When we step into the Great Silence, we’re not stepping into emptiness—we’re stepping into His presence. God is already there, waiting to meet us in ways we cannot predict or imagine. Silence may feel awkward, even unsettling, but it is also the doorway to peace, healing, and love beyond our imagination. The invitation is simple: pause, be still, and listen.

This week, I invite you to take five minutes to sit without an agenda, letting silence be a gift rather than a void. What would it look like for you to accept God’s invitation—and listen for what He longs to whisper in the Great Silence?