Comments on: Spiritual Disciplines: Silence http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/ Let these stones be a witness to what we have done here this day. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:54:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bob Cleveland http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8186 Bob Cleveland Wed, 05 Sep 2007 15:14:48 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8186 One of the most life-changing times of my life was the first time I worshipped at Red Hills Baptist Church in Jamaica. In the middle of the wall behind the pulpit hangs a little sign, welded up by my friend Merrick Bethune, that says "Be Still And Know That I Am God". Nobody who has ever seen that can forget it, and its message is what kick-started that in my life. Good post. One of the most life-changing times of my life was the first time I worshipped at Red Hills Baptist Church in Jamaica. In the middle of the wall behind the pulpit hangs a little sign, welded up by my friend Merrick Bethune, that says “Be Still And Know That I Am God”. Nobody who has ever seen that can forget it, and its message is what kick-started that in my life.

Good post.

]]> By: Tim Rogers http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8183 Tim Rogers Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:57:31 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8183 Brother Art, Can you believe that you have now gotten 9 comments for a post on "Silence" as a self-discipline? :>) Great thoughts. Blessings, Tim Brother Art,

Can you believe that you have now gotten 9 comments for a post on “Silence” as a self-discipline? :>)

Great thoughts.

Blessings,
Tim

]]> By: marie http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8176 marie Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:36:17 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8176 Oh no! You didn't hit a nerve! I needed to see that getting angry at being interrupted is FLESH. I truly meant thank you! (I wish I could underline the thank you!) Blessings on your evening! :) Oh no! You didn’t hit a nerve! I needed to see that getting angry at being interrupted is FLESH. I truly meant thank you! (I wish I could underline the thank you!)

Blessings on your evening! :)

]]> By: Art Rogers http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8174 Art Rogers Tue, 04 Sep 2007 23:22:49 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8174 I just threw the "bad behavior" comment in off the cuff. I didn't mean to hit a nerve. Sorry? :) I just threw the “bad behavior” comment in off the cuff. I didn’t mean to hit a nerve.

Sorry? :)

]]> By: marie http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8173 marie Tue, 04 Sep 2007 23:15:02 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8173 Thank you for the gentle rebuke. :) Self-discipline, unfortunately, is not something I've excelled at which is probably why I get interrupted so much. One day Peace will rule, so help me God! :-D Thank you for the gentle rebuke. :)

Self-discipline, unfortunately, is not something I’ve excelled at which is probably why I get interrupted so much. One day Peace will rule, so help me God! :-D

]]> By: Art Rogers http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8172 Art Rogers Tue, 04 Sep 2007 23:03:15 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8172 I don't think it is the sign of a weak Christian to want to protect your time alone with God. The Bible speaks of God being jealous of our love for Him. I'm sure that us being somewhat jealous for our time with Him is allowed, though bad behavior may not be. :) I don’t think it is the sign of a weak Christian to want to protect your time alone with God.

The Bible speaks of God being jealous of our love for Him. I’m sure that us being somewhat jealous for our time with Him is allowed, though bad behavior may not be. :)

]]> By: marie http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8170 marie Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:30:01 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8170 I not only have to have silence to focus, but need to be in a somewhat enclosed area in order to feel "alone" with God. Is this silly? Also, I seem to be unable to have a quiet time unless I am home by myself. It seems that my husband always needs something from the side of the house I'm on, or my Mother (who lives down stairs) will come to see me...Yikes! Then I get angry because my quiet time is interrupted! Am I a sorry excuse for a Christian, or what!!!! :) Silence truly is valuable and I miss so many opportunities to tune into God by being about the things that are not really important. Thank you for the reminder that to "know" God, we must be with God in the silence so that we will come to know Him intimately. I not only have to have silence to focus, but need to be in a somewhat enclosed area in order to feel “alone” with God. Is this silly? Also, I seem to be unable to have a quiet time unless I am home by myself. It seems that my husband always needs something from the side of the house I’m on, or my Mother (who lives down stairs) will come to see me…Yikes! Then I get angry because my quiet time is interrupted! Am I a sorry excuse for a Christian, or what!!!! :)

Silence truly is valuable and I miss so many opportunities to tune into God by being about the things that are not really important.

Thank you for the reminder that to “know” God, we must be with God in the silence so that we will come to know Him intimately.

]]> By: Art Rogers http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8167 Art Rogers Tue, 04 Sep 2007 19:56:11 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8167 JMS, "those distractions are not so much the ringing phone or the chatter of the TV as they are the voices in the head that keep on saying, 'You need to do .. do .. do'" Excellent insight. Bowden, I would not equate the spiritual gift of discernment with "hearing from God." They are closely related, but not specifically the same thing, I think. Discernment reaches far beyond a decision to do this or not do that, into being able to perceive motives for example. Also, I have known some to be very discerning, but not very sensitive to the movement of God in a particular moment. Again, closely related, but not simply the same thing. An example of the difference would be that Discernment would help you understand why someone in your congregation is arguing for a particular thing in business meeting, and you are able to address the real need, satisfy those involved and help broker peace and unity in the congregation. Hearing God speak might be that you sit down to eat in a cafeteria and suddenly sense that there was someone in another room that God wants you to approach. You can't discern something that you don't perceive in the first place. No, the latter situation doesn't happen often, but I think that is more likely because we have so few among us who have uncluttered lives; who have spent time learning to recognize the voice of God when He speaks. Nevertheless, for discernment and for the ability to sense God moving, silence is extremely valuable, but no, not the only thing needed. I also think you need a willfully obedient heart, for instance, to hear God clearly and well. JMS,

“those distractions are not so much the ringing phone or the chatter of the TV as they are the voices in the head that keep on saying, ‘You need to do .. do .. do’”

Excellent insight.

Bowden,

I would not equate the spiritual gift of discernment with “hearing from God.” They are closely related, but not specifically the same thing, I think. Discernment reaches far beyond a decision to do this or not do that, into being able to perceive motives for example. Also, I have known some to be very discerning, but not very sensitive to the movement of God in a particular moment. Again, closely related, but not simply the same thing.

An example of the difference would be that Discernment would help you understand why someone in your congregation is arguing for a particular thing in business meeting, and you are able to address the real need, satisfy those involved and help broker peace and unity in the congregation. Hearing God speak might be that you sit down to eat in a cafeteria and suddenly sense that there was someone in another room that God wants you to approach. You can’t discern something that you don’t perceive in the first place. No, the latter situation doesn’t happen often, but I think that is more likely because we have so few among us who have uncluttered lives; who have spent time learning to recognize the voice of God when He speaks.

Nevertheless, for discernment and for the ability to sense God moving, silence is extremely valuable, but no, not the only thing needed. I also think you need a willfully obedient heart, for instance, to hear God clearly and well.

]]> By: Bowden McElroy http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8163 Bowden McElroy Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:13:36 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8163 Art, Is "hearing from God" another way to describe the gift of discernment? And if so, isn't more than silence required? Art,
Is “hearing from God” another way to describe the gift of discernment? And if so, isn’t more than silence required?

]]> By: Joseph M. Smith http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8161 Joseph M. Smith Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:40:55 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/09/04/spiritual-disciplines-silence/#comment-8161 The discipline of silence in some Catholic monasteries bears witness to the value of what you are speaking about. I recall, years ago, reading Thomas Merton, how powerful he felt the silence of the Trappist monastery to be. I have a pastor friend who takes a retreat every year at Gethsemani in Kentucky, so that she can experience that silence and hear God's voice, free from the distractions of parish life. For her, as for me, those distractions are not so much the ringing phone or the chatter of the TV as they are the voices in the head that keep on saying, "You need to do .. do .. do" The discipline of silence in some Catholic monasteries bears witness to the value of what you are speaking about. I recall, years ago, reading Thomas Merton, how powerful he felt the silence of the Trappist monastery to be. I have a pastor friend who takes a retreat every year at Gethsemani in Kentucky, so that she can experience that silence and hear God’s voice, free from the distractions of parish life. For her, as for me, those distractions are not so much the ringing phone or the chatter of the TV as they are the voices in the head that keep on saying, “You need to do .. do .. do”

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