Our Souls Yearn For Silence
Why is finding silence so hard?
C.S. Lewis, one of my favorite authors and theologians, once wrote that “We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private.”
It sounds like a quote that could be from 2023, doesn’t it?
But Lewis, who died in 1963, actually wrote the words in his book The Weight of Glory, first published in 1942.
Think of all that has changed in our world since 1942. Lewis wrote those words during a time when the radio was the main form of media. He wrote those words before televisions became a common item in households; he wrote those words before cellphones, the internet, and social media.
Despite all the changes we’ve seen in the world, Lewis’ words still ring true 81 years later.
We are a world starved for silence.
Think about it—when do you actually have silence in your life?
When do you take time to listen to your own conscience?
We drown out silence by over-consuming and over-indulging in podcasts, television, social media, and news outlets. We quench our conscience—our true inner voice—by falling prey to workloads, meetings, and deadlines.
