Prayer and Silence

Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10

A good way to assess the intimacy of our relationship with God is to get totally alone and see how well we tolerate solitude. Can we sit peacefully in His presence with a quiet mind and not feel obligated to say or do something? Silence can be awkward when we’re stuck someplace alone with a stranger. We feel almost obligated to say something. “The Yankees won again last night” or “How do you like our weather?” On the other hand, a married couple who love each other can ride in a car together for hours and not feel obligated to say anything. They’re comfortable in each other’s presence.

Books are written about great saints who spent hours in prayer, and we wonder how they could do that. In all likelihood, much of that time was spent reading Scripture and listening. Intimate prayer with our heavenly Father may be more about listening than talking. If a church held an hour-long prayer service and spent the first 45 minutes listening, would the last 15 minutes be more productive than an hour of talking? Jesus said, “They will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16) and “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (18:37).

This devotional is an excerpt from The Bondage Breaker Devotional by Neil T. Anderson.

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Neil T. Anderson is the founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He began the ministry in 1989 and continues to spread the message of freedom to this day.