(This review appeared in the November-December 2012 edition of 21st Century Christian)
Several weeks ago I was preparing for a five-day silent retreat. As others learned of my plan, they asked many questions. What was I going to do for five days of silence? Wouldn’t I get bored? Why silence? One friend even expressed concern that I might be exposing myself to spiritual powers of evil through this quiet time.
Intentional silence may seem odd or unusual. Yet, as Richard Foster reveals in his book Sanctuary of the Soul, it is essential to spiritual growth. Foster (whose parents had a background in Churches of Christ) begins the book with a reminder that Scripture portrays God as one who is always “speaking, teaching and acting” (16). This image of God shines through especially in Jesus’ insistence that he could only do what he saw his Father doing and say what he heard his Father saying (17-18). Silence (which Foster calls “meditative prayer”) is thus important because it enables us to hear what the Father is speaking, receive what the Father is teaching and witness how the Father is acting. Silence is critical because “Distraction is the primary spiritual problem in our day” (104). There are so many voices vying for our attention that we rarely hear the one Voice that truly matters.
Three elements make up fruitful times of silence. First, being present. As we enter into a time of silence, we “let go of all competing distractions until we have become truly present where we are” (60). Focusing on a short Scripture or an attribute of God can help. We attempt to surrender our cares, admit our sins and think of nothing else besides God’s presence (63-68).
Second, beholding the Lord. Now that we’ve let go of all distractions, the goal is to gaze upon God. We seek to keep our heart and mind focused only on Him (69-77).
Third, an inward attentiveness. We are hoping in the silence to hear from God. We strive to be attentive to anything he may wish to share. There is no formula or method for listening for God. It is something we get better at with experience (80).
Foster states that three factors will help us distinguish God’s voice in the silence from other voices: its quality–it carries a word of authority and weight; its spirit–it comes with loving intentions; and its content–it is consistent with truths found in Scripture (81-82).
What we hear from God in silence, Foster finds, will probably be in one of two categories. We will hear things that are ordinary (e.g., a prompting to call a friend). Or we will hear things that are unusual (e.g., something we’ve never considered before) (83-84). For those with specific questions about practicing silence, Foster fills the end of the book with practical tips and advice.
Whether you’ve never considered silence as a spiritual practice or you want to grow deeper in your existing reliance upon silence, Foster’s brief book is filled with the inspiration and information necessary for both.
Richard J. Foster
Sanctuary of the Soul: Journey into Meditative Prayer
IVP Books: 2011
165 Pages
ISBN-10: 0830835555
ISBN-13: 978-0830835553
