The spiritual gift of peace and grace in silence

In the throne of silence are manifest the perfections of spiritual beauty.

— Miguel de Molinos (c. 1675)

Just as we cannot suppose that achieving spiritual perfection is possible, like all spiritual things these must be tried on, for spirituality is experience. It isn’t a craft to be mastered but practiced.

Ordinarily we could not encapsulate the words spiritual and perfection in the same sentence, as if they were referring to each other, because we cannot make the assumption that we can perfect our spirituality. We cannot come close to perfection in the spiritual realm, but we can come to experience the perfection of spirituality through silence.

Silence is a beautiful thing, whether we are with others and trying to help, or by ourselves, or wrestling with pain we can’t resolve. But silence is inappropriate at times, like when the truth needs to be brought to light for the protection of vulnerable individuals.

But… back on point:

Silence is the secret language of surrender when there is no answer.

Silence is powerfully vocal yet in an obviously inaudible way. Have you ever noticed how people who can keep silent can communicate in such powerful ways? They are able to hold their peace at a time when just about nobody does it. And, of course, there are oracles of wisdom about silence from the ancient book of Proverbs. There have been so many great things written about silence.

Whenever we are overwhelmed in any way our immediate state of spirituality can be improved if we are silent. It may still feel that our head is blowing apart, or that our heart is about to shatter.

Being silent doesn’t silence the pain,
but it does nullify the damage that pain often causes.

What we discuss here are the mystical features of battling spiritually in a spiritual life.

We need to be careful when it comes to discerning spiritually, because, even though we tend to under-discern the spiritual dimensions of life, we easily tip the balance too far the other way, and over spiritualise everything. But silence puts us in a position where we can hear from God. He speaks to our spirit usually in inaudible tones. And He will never speak anything contrary to the Word of God.

Silence when it comes to listening is such a powerful tool for equipping others in their healing. As we positively get out of the way, we allow another person the ability by giving them precious space to speak truths about their experience and perception, perhaps as they utter truths never spoken aloud before. Such a moment has incredible potential and healing power, and I have seen numerous times people come to have a first-in-a-lifetime experience. Just because there was silence.

Our silence gives them the space and time they need.

Take the situation of our personal pain. I have never known the powers of God to be more potent to heal me in my pain than when I was on my knees in silence. To be right, the healing never occurs in the moment, but there is something in experience that leads us to a hope this world cannot provide.

When we can access hope in our pain
we have direct access to our healing.

Silence as a spiritual gift of peace and grace contributes well-being and order to everything. Silence is the destroyer of chaos. Under silence, all chaos that ordinarily overwhelms us is allowed through the power of surrender, and we overwhelm what overwhelms us with peace. It can come only through God, in the name of Jesus.

In Him who could not be corrupted, and who did not suffer corruption, is the power over all evil.

He bequeaths to us this power when we act as peace like He acted as Peace.