Perhaps the most important practice in becoming a radical Christian, in moving from fan to follower, is not covered in any of the books on the subject. It is the radical practice of silence.
The most frequent complaint of Christians may be that they don’t hear from God. The most frequent reason is that they never stop talking.
Particularly in the West, we have an abhorrence to silence. The first thing we do when we wake up is turn on the TV. As soon as we get into our vehicles, our hands move to the radio on button. How often is there silence even in a church service? Silence makes us nervous. It’s creepy.
But how can we expect to hear from God if we never listen? How can we listen if we never practice silence?
Radical silence is really just a part of prayer. It’s the part where we finally stop talking and start listening. It’s where we get the answer to our prayers that we complain we never get. It’s where we get so much more.
Try driving without the radio. Try taking a walk without the earphones. Try sitting quietly in a room and just listening. First, ask God to speak to you. Ask the Spirit to prepare your heart for listening. And just shut up.
Silence may be the most radical thing you do today; but do give it a try. You will be greatly blessed.
Nick
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