If silence is "weird," why do we want to engage in it at all, much less make time for it as a spiritual practice?

Because if you let silence in, doing so will change your life.

Silence is simply pulling the plug on the noise. It is intimately linked to the practice of solitude. If we are to get away from the noise, we need to be alone. When we practice solitude and silence, we turn off the television, the radio. We get away from the kids, the office, even our ministry: all places where people have access to us and the ability to assault us with their needs and demands. In silence and solitude, we find freedom. God invites us to stop, to rest, to be quiet for a while and just listen to the voice of love.

Silence also requires that we let go of our own agenda. It is approaching God empty-handed, without a wish list, prayer, or even a Bible-study booklet. It is being with God for the purpose of simply focusing our attention. And that's where listening comes in.

Solitude and silence are traditional ...