Know You Are Beloved by Rev. Chris LeeSample

Day 4: Finding Love in Silence

As a parent, I learned new skills the hard way — through trial, error, and the grind. I quickly learned my children’s cries: a hungry cry, a sad cry, a hurt cry, a “Quick! Something is really wrong!” cry. I also was able to pick out my baby’s cry in a room of crying babies. It’s not like I could describe why her cry was different. A cry is a cry, but somehow my nervous system, on hearing my kid’s cry, knew that one was mine.

We, too, can learn the Holy Spirit’s voice. We can learn to hear God in the midst of all the noise around us. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice” (John 10:27). The analogy is a simple one: sheep get to know their shepherd’s call.

So, how do we hear God? Because, and do not be fooled, we need to train and practice. Of course, God can and does occasionally make it blatantly obvious He is speaking. However, it is rare that God speaks with an audible voice, and perhaps the reason it’s so rare is because the main way God communicates is through relationships embedded within a faith community. The way God usually works is through the Holy Spirit guiding us, teaching us, and speaking to our spirit through our community and the Scripture we read. To hear God, we need to know God and be open to hearing Him speak into our lives.

Being comfortable and confident in your scriptural knowledge is a primary way to know God’s voice. Developing an ability to be comfortable sitting in silence — with others or on your own — while being surrendered to any action or intention that God might have opens you up to getting to know God’s presence and voice.

There is a rich humanity to be found here in silence with yourself and God. We hear about pollution a lot, but I think noise pollution is a huge danger to our souls, and we could all do with rediscovering the gift of silence. Moving into a place of interior silence is not about escaping yourself but becoming truly human. We are humans made in the image of God. He calls us to have faith in Him. Faith is unique to us as created beings. To sit in silence with God has no logical basis. It demands faith and teaches us what it means to be human and, ironically, what it means to be fully alive. Peace and security come from knowing who we are, and that comes from knowing God, who teaches us who we are. We are found in Him, where we are loved, and nothing can take us from that love. When we stand on Jesus, we stand on solid ground. That secure place breathes peace and rest into our lives and any situations we may face.

Breathe.

Move into silence.

Be here with Him who knows and loves you.