Keeping Silence

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"a time to keep silence, and a time to speak."  Ecclesiastes 3:7

 

My preferred method of self-expression and reflection has always been writing. (And I have journals from 3rd grade on to prove it.)  In fact, I've come to rely heavily on writing as a way to process life - whether its the inevitable big life changes, emotions out of control, or a nagging problem that I can't seem to resolve.

In these past two months or so there have been a multitude of things I've wanted to write about. Several difficult and even tragic events happened in the lives of family and friends. I felt deeply as these things unfolded and longed to express the way they were impacting me. There was political drama and newsworthy happenings that captured my attention. I was itching to get my opinions out there, to make my own  responses, rants, and raves. Then there were the usual personal defeats and victories in my own spiritual being that were begging to be acknowledged on paper. Not to mention that we were sending the old year out and ushering in the new year, which happens to be my most beloved time of year with all its ponderous reflections and fresh ambitions. I just wanted to neatly capture and package all of these things. I wanted to put the whirlwind in my head into neat order on paper.

But every single time I sat down at my laptop to write, words vanished. Literally. Words felt either too cheap, too inadequate, or just plain worn out. I couldn't capture or package worth a toot.

I can't even tell you how many times this has put me in a funk.  Because, as much as I hate to admit this, some days I rely on my words rather then God. Life becomes only as deep and meaningful as I can express and explain it on the pages of my journal or blog.

Thankfully in my frustration God reminded me of the passage in Ecclesiastes about there being a time for silence. I had always thought of this as silence in speech. But I think He showed me in those ten words that sometimes I need times of silence in my writing and processing too. Not everything needs to be expressed, explained, and neatly packaged. No matter how beautiful and well-put words and thoughts can be, they will never fill all the voids, clean up all the mess, and change the world.

Some times its okay to just be silent. God can't be packaged and explained, and neither can life.
Some times tragedy and pain are too big for words.
Some times the world doesn't need my opinions. (most times, actually)
Some things in life become too sacred to write about.
Sometimes its okay not to be heard and understood.

Bottom line, words can't fill voids and replace my need for God. Only deep (and sometimes silent) communion with Him can ever bring peace and order to my world.


If I sound discouraged or like I'll never blog again... I'm neither. :) Just thanking God for a new appreciation and understanding of silence in the middle of a very noisy, demanding, and distracting world.




And now for a wordless tribute to 2013... (: 

 


























Happy 2014, everyone.

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