Sacred Silence

Have you ever noticed how uncomfortable silence can be in the middle of an argument? It seems like our minds work like a television host who is terrified of 'dead air' on live TV. When our spouse tells us something hard to swallow, our immediate instinct is to fire off a response to fill that void and regain control.

Sometimes we feel that if we stay quiet for more than two seconds, we are going to lose the debate. It is like entering a contest of 'who gets the last word', and to be honest, guys, the prize for that contest is always sleeping on the couch or turning our backs in bed, staring at the wall.

But the Bible presents us with a different rhythm. King Solomon was very clear when he said that there is a sacred time to be silent. Being 'slow to speak' does not mean our brains have a lag; it means we are mastering that desperate anxiety that pushes us to justify, defend, or counterattack immediately.