We wake up and the deluge begins. Rolling over in bed, we grab our smartphones and tap our way into a ceaseless flow of words. Before getting ready, we ask Siri, Google, or Alexa what the weather is like. If we exercise or commute, we listen to podcasts or Spotify.

When we get to work, we send and read emails. Make phone calls. Respond to Slack messages and threads. And we tweet, post, and snap all the while.

The world has never been wordier than it is today.

Why do we talk so much? We have been duped into thinking that wordiness leads to wisdom. We think we will be heard, felt, and understood through our talking and typing. Not only is this thinking incorrect, but the opposite is often true: The more we speak, the less we feel heard, felt, and understood.

For centuries, the Christian tradition has understood the immense benefit of silence before God, but now the idea of silence seems to be a rare and forgotten concept.

We may be surprised to discover just how powerful it can be.

Read the rest at Gospel-Centered Discipleship

Published by Grayson Pope
