It is possible to have silence without loneliness. On the other hand, it also possible to have loneliness without silence. We should desire the former of the two; silence without loneliness.
The truth is we are afraid of silence. When our minds and hearts are actually silence, something is revealed. We are afraid of this revelation. What is revealed in silence may sometimes hurt or frighten, but this it is good and it is necessary.
In our silence, we are only accompanied by ourselves, and many of us can think of no worse company. Why? Because, in silence, we are not accompanied by the self we let everyone else know and see. In the silence, we can only find company with our true self. We are forced to spend that time with our true and whole self, and that self is without spiritual cosmetic. This is the reason we so noisily avoid silence.
That silence and the revelation we find in that silence is the only way we will find whole peace (shalom), freedom, and life. That path and its revelation is the only way I will ever know myself as I am. Knowing myself as I really am is the only way I offer my honest self to anyone in love and integrity. 
How close am I to matching up the person I AM and the person people see and know? How much of myself do I even know? I will only find that person in the silence.
Bob Benson writes, “Pray for silence both in mind and spirit.”
We often think we have to make ourselves silent so that we can hear from God. We are taught to be quiet so you can ask things of God and hear from him, but have we ever been taught to ask for silence? To pray for silence!
I used to have a fan on all the time because I couldn’t stand silence. Then I started playing a fan looping in iTunes. I couldn’t be awake or fall asleep without that white noise. Lately I haven’t been using the fan in iTunes. Sometimes I try to fall asleep in the quiet, but more often I have a podcast playing. I can only claim trying to learn (generally listen to This Week in Virology).
I hear you loud and clear. I used to sleep with a fan on every single night. It was mostly for the breeze for me, but I did love the hmmmmmmmmmm
Fans are a must.
I’ve been learning how healing silence can be, and it took getting mono and being forced into it. But I’m glad for it. Great thoughts, PC!
If I resist silence long enough, I will be forced into it somehow.
There are definitely times where I’d rather not be left with myself. Who am I kidding…most of the time. And if my perspective of God is off, I’d rather not be with Him, either. Sometimes it’s like, “Why would I want to face my own insufficiencies and then have God point out all the ones I don’t see myself??” I’m not sure why we have such a fatalistic view of silence other than that it can be difficult. Even though we know the results are going to be positive, the fear of getting through the tough stuff prevents us from spending that time in silence. Here’s to being brave and expecting the best!
I’m not even sure we always know the results are going to be positive, but even if we did, we resist the pain of getting to the final part. We are afraid of what we have get THROUGH to reach the end. Just on the other side of pain is healing, but you can’t go around it.
It’s funny that I read this right after I read Lori’s post about “60 ways to make your life easier” One of those 60 ways was “Don’t try to please everyone. Just do what you know is right.” And one of those things I know is right – that you just reminded me of – is SILENCE. I love those days when I actually get this, when I come home from work and throw the cell phone away and just spend time in quiet – sitting at the feet of Jesus. Thanks for this reminder, friend. It was much needed for me!