Encouragement

Power Of Silence

by Olawale Ogunsola
12/05/17
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     One common thing people love to do is engage in exchange of words, that is verbal communication. It is an essential lubricant that sustains relationships both formal and informal. The benefits of communication cannot be overstressed.

     As good as exchange of words is, there is time to keep quiet. This is a very difficult thing, if not impossible, for many people to do, especially those who have strong verbal power. Yet, silence is also a form of strength or power.

     The Lord God declares,

     “In returning and rest you shall be

          Saved;

     In quietness and in trust shall be

         Your strength.”    Isaiah 30:15 RSV (Revised Standard Version).

     I have seen men who become angry when someone said to him, “keep shut”. This happens when said in an insulting manner but the fact remains that there are times to keep shut.

     Therefore, for the purpose of this write-up, the words “silence” and “quietness” will be used in a sense that shows ‘not saying anything’.

   For example, when the King of Assyria sent his military commander to frighten King Hezekiah and the people of Judah with war, the instruction of King Hezekiah to his officers was a simple one,

     “Do not answer him” II King 18:36. (RSV)

     This is a difficult thing to do at the point of provocation; but there is wisdom in it.

     Now, let us examine a few of the benefits (values) of silence.

      1.      IT IS STRENGTH. Ability to keep quiet at the right time is power. It gives sufficient energy to the silent. It sustains the flow of the system. There will be no loss of concentration. Distraction will not have room to operate. You will be composed and calmed. You will not be troubled but be at rest although your antagonists may be on rampage. You will exercise a superior power over him if you can be silent while he displays his own “madness”

      2.      YOU WILL HAVE PEACE.

      During a time when Elisha was passing through a “Destiny Test”, as a son of the Prophet; when he was on the verge of becoming a full-fledge Prophet, his colleagues, other sons of Prophets, assembled in Bethel, Jericho and Jordan and said to him

     “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” IIKings 2:3,5, RSV.

His quick reply was,

“Yes, I know; hold your peace.”

This potential leader knew what was to happen to his master but he was not ready to entertain any debate on it. He did not want any distraction from anybody. He was serious with the pursuit of his determination.

If he had joined his colleagues in discussing what was to take place, so many” good” ideas would have come up that could dethrone God’s suggestions for Elisha. Finally, he ceased to be one of the sons of Prophets but a Prophet with many sons.

      3.      AN EVIL DERTERMINATION IS REVEALED.

     Ability to be silent can display the evil that has been determined against the wicked. When God purposed to turn the evil Hamman had planned against Jews on him and his household he went to the King’s palace at Shushan. When Queen Esther revealed her true nationality slated for destruction to the King. The King was silent, walking up and down in the garden. Hamman saw clearly that evil was determined by the King again him. So, he knelt down to beg the queen. This also worked against him.

By the time the King spoke, he said the right words that eliminated the enemies, and potential enemies of God’s own people. So silence is also a form of communication. Esther 7:1-7.

      4.      IT CAUSES PEOPLE TO MARVEL (WONDER).

     Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, was always economical with His words but not with truth. He never wasted His words. He knew perfectly well, when to speak and when to keep quiet. Read these from the Scriptures:

     “Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said,

     “You have said so.”

But when he was accused by the Chief Priests and elders, he gave no answer.

Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?”

But he gave him no answer; not even to a single charge, so that the governor wondered greatly. Matthew 27:11-14. RSV.

     Was there any need for Him to engage His numerous accusers in argument? Could his voice be heard loud and clear? He knew what was to happen to Him and was prepared to face it rather than defending Himself from the false charges. His silence made the governor to wonder the manner of man He was. Do you know that this may be one of the reasons he wanted to set him free? V18.

      5.      IT BRINGS GLADNESS.

     As of the time you are reading this, it is possible you are going through a tough time or waiting for Promise of God to be fulfilled in your life. Do you know that after you have done everything you ought to do, you must patiently wait for the answer from God? Psalm 37:7.

     To patiently wait involves being quiet. No grumbling! No murmuring! No false accusation against God! No negative confession and so on.

     If you are quiet before the Lord, you will be at peace with Him, with yourself and everyone around you.

     “Then they were glad because they

           Had quiet,

     And he brought them to their

           Desired haven.

       Be quiet when the need arises.

      6.      IT EXPELS TROUBLES.

     Sometimes, troubles roll away because you can be silent. One day, two women were discussing about their husbands. A said “If I say anything unpleasant, my husband will beat me “black and blue” So I watch what I’ll say before him.”

B replied, “My husband is different! No matter what I say, he’ll pretend as if he doesn’t hear. He will not say anything no matter the number of hours I spend to nag him. He is always himself.”

      Inability to keep quiet brings troubles. Job exclaims,

      “I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;

      I have no rest, but trouble comes.”   Job 3:26 RSV.

Therefore, “In returning (to the Lord) and rest you shall

                   Be saved;

                   In quietness and in trust shall be

                   Your strength.”                  Isaiah 30:15.

      7.      IT STILLS THE HEART.

     Daily, there are so many things that love to trouble the heart of man. Yours is not an exemption– irrespective of your position. So no matter what happens, the word of God to King Ahaz of Judah by the mouth of Prophet Isaiah is relevant,

     ”Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smouldering stamps of firebrands...”      Isaiah 7:4.

     Being silent will give peace to your heart. You wll not do things rashly or speak unadvisedly.

      8.      IT IS AN EVIDENCE AND PROOF.

     Your quietness is an evidence that you are a man of knowledge. It is also a proof that you have understanding. Proverbs 17:27 reveals,

     “He who restrains his words has

               Knowledge,

       And he who has a cool spirit is a

       Man of understating.”

     If you are a man full of knowledge of an issue, you will not join anyone in debate because you know the true position of things. If you want to proof that you have understanding, you must employ silence.

      9.      SILENCE HIDES IGNORANCE.

     Do you know this? If you are a lay man among professionals, no one will single you out as a novice if you remain silent among them.

     What you do not know or understand will be attributed to you.

     This reminds me of a farmer who never went to school but was loved and voted for as a councillor in1980s. When all councillors were to be addressed by the President, he went with them. Not only this, he was treated equally with those with University education. He received everything others were given. No one knew he could not read, or write or speak in English.

The Scriptures declared in Proverbs 17:28 thus,

     “Even a fool who keeps silent is

           Considered wise;

      When he closes his lips, he is

           Deemed intelligent.”

     Can you close your lips as the need arises? It is to your own advantage.

    10.    IT IS WISDOM.

     Those who always say everything in their hearts anytime and anywhere demonstrate foolishness. Not only this, they will say wrong things that will incur the wrath of God. They will speak unadvisedly and sin against their Maker.

     Therefore, silence is wisdom.

     “When words are many transgression

          Is not lacking,

      But he who restrains his lips is

             Prudent”           Proverbs 10:19 RSV.

    11.    SILENCE HELPS TO DISCERN WHAT IS HAPPENING.

     Ability to be silent will help you to discern what is happening and what is about to happen. It gives the enablement to watch divine directions closely.

     When Eliezer of Damascus, Abraham’s servant, was to choose a wife for his Master’s son, Isaac, he relied totally on the Lord God of his master.

     At the side of a well, he requested for water to drink from Rebekah’s jar. She replied, “Drink, my Lord, ... I will draw

                 For your camels also, until they have done drinking.”

     This was a proof he had demanded from God to show who He had chosen as wife for Isaac. He was not in a hurry. The Scriptures revealed,

        “The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.”     Genesis 24:21-24.

     It is only those who can watch happenings in silence that will know and understand what God determines to do. So you can learn in silence. (I Timothy 2:11-12)

    12.    IT WILL SHIELD YOU

     Do you know that there are so many adversaries who are looking for an opportunity to accuse you? They are watching you keenly to hear a sentence from you with which to accuse, persecute and prosecute and destroy you.

So, if you can be quiet, they will be disappointed. The Master, Jesus Christ, at keeping quiet, has this recorded in the Scriptures about Him and His enemies.

     “As he went away from there, the scribes

      And Pharises began to press him hard, and

      To provoke him to speak of many things,

      Lying in wait for him, to catch at something

      He might say.”

     Do you know that there are people who can entangle you in your own words. All that they want is “He said this!”

     So, you must be quiet when you are before or among those who are wicked.

    13.    IT CLOSES THE DOOR.

     It is a sad thing to note that people voluntarily expose themselves to enemies’ attacks, both now and/or in the future.

     This story from the Bible will interest you:

     Benhadad mustered the Syrians, and waged war against Israel. The Lord delivered his people from the oppressors.

     The King of Israel was merciful to Benhaded who had escaped, whom the Lord had billed for destruction.

     The king of Israel called him (Benhadad) “My brother” and Benhadad’s servants capitalised on this to secure mercy for their master.

     However, Ahab and his people paid with their lives for this error in speech. I Kings 20:32-43.

     Watch what you say. Learn to be silent.

     Hear what the Psalmist has to say on this:

      “I will guard my ways, that I may not

     Sin with my tongue; I will bridle my mouth,

     So long as the wicked are in my presence.”     Psalm 39:1 (RSV)

     So be wise like him!

THIS YOU MUST KNOW, PLEASE!

     With all these thirteen benefits, among others, of silence, it does not mean that you must not speak AT ALL on any issue. It only calls for wisdom from above to know when to speak and when to be quiet. May the Lord grant you the wisdom to know the difference between the two times. Ecclessiates 3:1-8 reads in part;

     “For everything there is a season, and a

     Time for every matter under heaven:

     ... a time to keep silence, and a time

      To speak;...”

     Please note the arrangement here, “Keep silence precedes “to speak.”  This is in line with the biblical injunction: “be swift to hear, and slow to speak and slow to wrath.”

     Yet, there is time for each under heaven but

     As the time requires, “... you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.” Acts 19:36b (RSV).

Stay blessed and prepared for the coming of the Lord.