Silence, Noise, and Hearing God's Voice

Silence is God's playground.
Silence is God's garden.
Silence is God's loudspeaker.
If you have as much noise in your life as is common these days, it's unlikely you thought of, much less take advantage of those three truths. Silence is very elusive. It's hard to find. Compounding this problem is the fact that many of us don't like it. We'd rather turn on the radio, or turn up the volume of our iPOD. Silence in conversation is usually interpreted as awkwardness.
Silence, a close relative of solitude, is a spiritual discipline. Some people may know this, but few people seem to practice it.
However, we often complain that God is distant from us, that He's not speaking, that our spiritual lives are dry and lifeless. Every time I've said that recently, I've reminded myself of this: It's more likely that I'm not listening, than that God's not speaking. Because every time I go to a quiet place with the intent to listen to Him, He always seems to speak.
It is possible to hear God past the excessive noise that is so often present in our lives. However, it's difficult, and it's an advanced listening skill. To learn it, we first have to master basic listening, which is listening without noise. This means that anyone who wants to hear God, who wants to know God, must put a priority on silence. At least once a day, turn off your TV, radio, iPOD, cell phone, computer, and whatever else makes noise in your life, and go to a place where you're alone. Wait for God to speak.
If you're not willing to do that, then prepare yourself for long periods of spiritual dryness. The only way to eliminate spiritual silence is to create physical silence.
Silence is God's canvas.
Silence is God's introduction.
Silence is God's time.