In our Western culture, prayer has often become more about speaking than listening. We come before God with a list of requests—things we need Him to do, problems we need Him to fix, situations we want Him to change. And, though God tells us to make our requests known, prayer is meant to be more than just a one-sided conversation. How often do we take time to simply be silent before the Lord? Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” But in this fast-paced, noisy world, being still is not something we often practice.
Part of the struggle comes from the constant busyness of our lives. We move from one task to another, filling every moment with productivity, entertainment, or distractions. Silence feels unnatural because we are so used to the hum of activity around us. Technology plays a major role in this as well. Many of us have grown up with phones in our hands, always looking at something, always listening to something. We rarely allow ourselves to just sit quietly, and because of this, we miss an important aspect of prayer—listening.
The truth is, listening is essential in any relationship. A relationship cannot grow if one person does all the talking. The same is true in our relationship with God. He has much to say to us, but are we taking the time to hear Him? Elijah experienced this truth firsthand in 1 Kings 19. He was desperate to hear from God, and as he stood on the mountain, there came a mighty wind, an earthquake, and a fire—but God was not in any of them. Then came a gentle whisper, and that is where Elijah encountered the Lord (1 Kings 19:11-12). God’s voice is often found in the quiet, but we have to create space in our lives to actually hear Him.
If we only come to God with hurried requests and never take time to simply be with Him, we miss out on the depth of intimacy He desires with us. Prayer should not just be about asking for things; it should be about abiding in His presence. Jesus Himself modeled this. Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” If the Son of God needed time away in silence with the Father, how much more do we?
What would it look like if we made space for silence in our prayers? If instead of rushing through a list of needs, we sat quietly and let God speak into our hearts? What if we embraced stillness, allowing our souls to rest in the presence of the One who holds all things together?
My prayer for myself—and for all of us—is that we would learn to practice the discipline of silent prayer. That we would take moments to pause, to unplug, and simply be with God. Because the more we do that, the more we will truly know…that He is God.
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