14. On Inward Silence

The Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him.” Habakuk 2:20.

The reason inward silence is indispensable is because the Word is creative and eternal, thus requiring such a disposition of the soul in order to be received.

It is a well-known truth that in order to receive the outward Word, we must give ear and hearken. The sense of hearing is made for receiving the word that is spoken or communicated to it. The sense of hearing is more passive than active; it receives, but does not communicate. Since the inward, creative Word desires to speak within us and to communicate itself to us, and receive and quicken us, it is absolutely necessary that the soul be attentive.

That is why there are so many places in Scripture that exhort us to hear God and to be attentive to His voice. We could easily name a great many, but it will suffice to mention these two or three: “Hearken to Me all you that are My people, and give ear to My voice O nation that I have chosen!” Isaiah 51:4. “Hearken to Me all you whom I bear in My bosom, and whom I carry in My bowels.” Isaiah 46:3. “Hearken, O My daughter! Consider and incline your ear, forget your kindred and your father’s house, so shall the King greatly desire your beauty.” Psalm 45:10-11.

External silence is most necessary to cultivate the internal; indeed, it is impossible to become introspective without loving silence and retirement. God Himself tells us so by the mouth of His prophet: “I will lead her into solitude, and there will I speak to her heart.” Hos. 2:14. How can one be inwardly taken up with God and yet be outwardly busied about a thousand trifles? This is certainly impossible. It is necessary to forget oneself and all our individual interests, and listen to God and to make oneself attentive to Him.

Any time your weakness has led you to be scattered and distracted, you must make a little retreat inward. You must always be faithful to this whenever you are distracted and dissipated. It would be virtually fruitless to pray, and withdraw ourselves for half an hour or an hour, if we did not preserve the anointing and spirit of prayer all the day long.