Are you afraid of silence? Does the thought of turning everything off—the radio, the TV, all your electronics—and simply listening to the air in the room sound relaxing or terrifying?
If it’s the second, technology has you covered. You can listen to a podcast during your morning jog, blast tunes from waterproof Bluetooth speakers while you shower, and fall asleep at night to Bellaruth Naparstek’s Guided Meditations (which, by the way, are amazing). Music plays while you shop. Restaurants have TVs on every wall. Hit a lull in the conversation? There’s always your phone to entertain you.
In our era of electronics, silence is an endangered species. Tech companies are thriving businesses, all because without the constant drip-line of noise, news feeds, and social engagement, we’re forced to face a beast that terrifies many of us more than big hairy spiders in teeny-tiny spaces:
Silence.
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In This Article
The Power of Silence to Expose
It’s not difficult to figure out why we’re so afraid of silence. Silence opens the door to boredom. Suddenly, you have nothing to do with your hands—and nothing to distract your mind.
Like a preteen boy with nothing to do, an idle mind will stir up trouble.
And like a preteen boy with nothing to do, an idle mind will stir up trouble. It starts to reflect, perhaps drawing up the fear, guilt, and inadequacy you’ve managed to suppress thus far. You realize your life is not what you want it to be, that you’re not who you think you should be.
So you either wallow in the blues or reach for something to numb it. For some, that’s an illicit substance. For others, it’s binge eating, pornography, steamy romance novels, the rush of doing something dangerous …
That makes reaching for your phone or turning up the radio dial not seem so bad, right?
Noise: A Powerful Drug on the Rise
Noise is a powerful drug, too. It numbs the brain, dulls your senses, and makes you crave more and more until silence becomes the enemy. And just as the brain hindered by a foreign substance experiences impaired function, so too noise prevents you from achieving deep mindfulness and full-capacity thinking.
Are you struggling to understand that last sentence? Blame the noise in your life.
Numerous studies show the negative impact of noise—even background noise—on brain activity, learning, memory, and concentration levels. Constant noise leads to increased anxiety, poor memory, difficulty with learning, and increased accidents in the workplace.
Basically, your brain—like the Grinch—is screaming for a break from all the noise, noise, noise!
The Temporal & Spiritual Benefits of Silence For Christian Teens
I became aware of the positive power of silence one morning when I made the uncharacteristic desicion to eschew the usual music and instead exercise to the monotonous hum of the furnace. Sound horrendous? Something phenomenal happened.
Without the distraction of constant noise, I found myself focusing harder on how my body worked. I stretched deeper, lifted the weights higher, and pulled my abs tighter. By the time I finished, my muscles felt WORKED.
Noise often gives you an excuse to not fully engage. You go through the motions without really thinking about it, and the outcome is less-than-stellar.
Sometimes Satan’s best distraction isn’t even something sinful.
For the Christian, however, noise isn’t just a barrier to comprehension and performance. Noise prevents you from hearing the very voice of God. You can’t meditate on him and his Word when your brain is distracted by the noise of life.
Sometimes, Satan’s best distraction isn’t even something sinful.
Learn more about the importance of silence as a spiritual discipline in Turn Down the Volume! How to Hear God’s Voice.
The solution is obvious: turn it off. Turn off the phone, unplug the television, silence the radio. Then listen to the sound of nothing and see what happens.
What feelings rise to the surface when you find yourself in a moment of solitude? Does the boredom become unbearable? Do unpleasant thoughts, memories, and emotions suddenly make an unwelcome entrance? This is normal. Don’t suppress them. Just feel them.
Then embrace the truth
Why Christian Teens Don’t Need to Be Afraid of Silence
This is super important so make sure you’re paying attention: For the Christian, silence is nothing more than a paper tiger—a laughably benign creature with a fearful appearance. Because everything your head is telling you about how you’re not good enough and your life has no meaning is a lie.
Through his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus made you perfect. He switched your disgracefulness with his pure, unblemished record:
“Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:4-6
Silence gives you the chance to take those feelings of fear, shame, and inadequacy and set them before God, where they belong. He has already made you whole. Guilt and shame have no place in your heart. “Unworthy” no longer describes you. You have no reason to run from your internal demons. Hand them to Jesus and let your brain embrace the calming power of silence.
Learn more about your complete salvation in What is the Most Difficult Christian Belief to Accept? and Your Identity is in Christ: See How God Sees You.
Bible Verses to Meditate on During Moments of Silence
Really, any scripture will work, but these are a few effective Bible verses to meditate on when silence causes your demons to surface.
The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you.
2 Chronicles 15:2
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Meet God In the Silence!
Trust me, it’s not when you have your phone in hand that your “Aha!” moment will arrive. It’s during times of quiet prayer and Biblical reflection that God’s promises will sink into your heart and take root. No amount of noise—texts, tweets, or likes—can fill the gaps in your soul. Only God can do that.
It’s time to divorce those lies that have you scrambling to fill the silence and declare, as Francesca Batistelli does in The Breakup Song, “Fear, you don’t own me.” Then sit back and let the peace of God which transcends all understanding guard your mind in Christ Jesus.
“What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.”
Matthew 10:27
May you always face silence in eager anticipation of what God might whisper in your ear!
Spiritual Disciplines for Teens: More Resources
You don’t have to have all the answers.
but, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
Silence is a spiritual discipline that couples well with other spiritual disciplines. Keep your spiritual growth going with these other posts:
- 8 Ways to Grow in the Fear of God
- Why Young Christians Absolutely Need to Go to Church
- How To Have a Richer Prayer Life By Friday
- Why You Need to Read the Bible Before You Pray
Yes! Silence is golden especially with the busy days we face not only during this season but on our day to day work and schedules. It is a great time to reflect, talk to God and “re-start.” Thank you, Lauren for your writing to remind us of the importance of silence and pointing to the verses in the Bible to help us with that. God Bless.
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