When I look back over my day every evening, I often judge whether my day was a success or a failure based off of how efficient I was that day. If I feel that I accomplished as much as I could have in the 24 hours given to me that day, I deem it a “good day”. I often link progress with success, which I have learned is a very dangerous association.
 
God calls us to work hard and glorify Him by using the gifts He has given us to partially reverse the effect of sin and develop the creation God has given us to care for. However, God is clear that this calling is not to be prioritized over the relationship that God wants to develop with us, and relationships are not defined by efficiency or progress. They are defined by intimacy.
 
Unfortunately, progress and intimacy require different forms of effort to enhance each in our lives, so confusing the two can be catastrophic. Maximum progress typically requires action, organization, and efficiency. Progress can be made without these components, but less will often get done if one is missing. Maximum intimacy requires patience, vulnerability, and humility. Intimacy is not about getting the most done, it is about accepting a lack of efficiency to grow closer to an individual.
 
A relationship built on progress will eventually fall short of expectation, and it will not fulfill our God given desire for community. Our relationships are not about reaching the finish line or getting the most done, they are about humbling ourselves to love our neighbors. Humility can take multiple forms, but the practice of silence helps us humble ourselves so that we can become more like Jesus in how we relate to others.
 
Silence is necessary to develop the intimacy God desires to have with us.
 
If we cannot practice silence in the presence of God, we have little hope of becoming more intimate with God, because we refuse to make time to listen to Him. This would be similar to a one-sided friendship, where one individual talks all the time and the other never speaks a word. Intimacy is not created in that relationship, since both individuals are not being vulnerable and willing to listen to the other person.
 
Oftentimes, the next best step to take in our relationship with God is to simply humble ourselves and be quiet before Him. When we are silent, we recognize that we do not have all the answers. Practicing silence also demonstrates that we value our relationship with God because we have devoted our time to Him. If we cannot be quiet with God, we often believe we have something better to do, and we can handle our lives on our own. That is not always the case, but in my life, I often identify these prideful claims in my mind when I am struggling to sit in silence with Him.
 
How much alone time are you willing to give to God?
 
Do you truly desire intimacy with Him?
 
What does your current schedule say about how much you value intimacy with God?

-Hank