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How Silence, Solitude, and Cat Naps Restore the Soul
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord (Lamentations 3:25-26, NIV).
One of the most influential writers today is John Mark Comer, who has just released a book titled Into the Quiet: Following Jesus in a World of Noise. A quote…
God is waiting for you. Outside the noise of the modern world and the busyness of your daily life. Waiting to love you, speak to you, heal you, free you.
My favorite quote on being quiet comes from Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century monk…
The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.
During my early days as a Christian, Richard Foster wrote in Celebration of Discipline …
The purpose of silence and solitude is to be able to see and hear. The Spirit speaks to us when our heart is still and silent before the Lord—not when we’re rushing about and doing our own thing in our own way.
Personally, I’ve noticed that increased screen use (and even AI) too easily unsettles a soul that needs quiet as a precursor to sensing and hearing God’s presence. Obviously, “quiet” is more than the absence of noise and can only be achieved by recognizing the causes of anxiety and casting them upon the Lord.
The Apostle Peter had timely wisdom for all the ages when he wrote…
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7).
I don’t use the phrase “into the quiet” for silencing my thoughts because I believe Peter’s phrase “casting anxieties” is more descriptive. Below are three principles for my “casting anxieties” or “getting into the quiet.”
- Getting quiet often happens through routines like sitting in a well-used chair or taking a walk through a forest.
- Ask the Lord to guide you in a review of the causes of worry, fears, and anxieties, and then literally — by speaking aloud — cast them on the Lord.
- Into this resulting vacuum, always say, “Speak, Lord Jesus, and only Lord Jesus speak,” so you are not deceived by selfish lust or the demonic.
Modern psychological studies indicate that practicing silence doesn’t have to wait for morning or evening devotions; it can happen with just a few minutes of being alone at any time of day. These studies show that because the thought portions of the brain are engaged during active times, silence lets this part of the brain relax, consolidate memories, lower blood pressure, and even regrow new brain cells.
An unfortunate by-product of my research for this blog post is that I found cat naps under 15 minutes have similar health benefits for the brain. My objection as a non-cat lover is: why can’t they be called “dog naps?” My wife says no animal sleeps, rests, or enjoys quiet time better than a cat.
I hope she’s wrong!