We all live modern lives and have demands in our home and in our work to communicate with others in order to love well and do our jobs well. Therefore, we recognize that this will not be a 24/7 silent fast. We do, however, want to allow for as much silence as possible. The goal here is not to be weird or unrealistic, but instead to examine our lives and find times when we usually choose to talk, listen to something, or watch and instead choose the quiet. Oftentimes, when we are more aware of choosing silence overall, we find that we adapt to watching our words more easily during the required talking times as well. We feel the weight of our words as truly having the power of life and death within the tongue.

Look at your days and determine when you have to be talking or immersed in sound and when you can choose silence. This is likely easiest to do by making blocks of time for silence and blocks of time for talking. For example, are you able to get ready for your day in mostly silence? Block those pre-work hours for silence. Then when your work day begins, block those hours for talking. Are you able to take a lunch break? Perhaps you can have a few minutes for silence during that time. Are you someone who calls or messages people when driving? Choose the quiet drive instead this week (and let your regular call folks know you will be offline and are okay, of course.) Then, go back to work and talking for a few hours. Once your day reaches the point where you do not have to talk anymore, choose silence again. 

**For marrieds, we know the logistics of a household mean communicating. See if you can block intentional times for these logistics. Consider a brief ‘meeting’ in the morning and again at night. We want healthy homes and marriages.


*** If you are dealing with any mental health issues that silence could exacerbate, please speak with your doctor or therapist to come up with a plan that is healthiest for you. Furthermore, if during the fast, you are struggling with isolation or other mental health needs, please reach out to others.

Food:

We do not want to allow our flesh to run rampant in any area of our lives during the week. As such, we are still recommending a measure of food fasting this week. Our encouragement would be that if you are talking you are under your most restricted food fast - liquids only, raw fruits and vegetables only, water only, etc… Then during the hours you have set aside as total silence (early morning, evening once you’re talking part of the day is over), you can open up your fast to more food if desired, such as embracing the Daniel Fast during this portion of the day. 

What to eat and when:

“Talking hours” - Consider a liquid only, water only, or raw fruits and vegetables only fast. This is the most restrictive food portion of the fast.

“Silent hours” - In keeping with the spirit of the fast, we are recommending a Daniel fast to be our most lenient food consumption during the week.

** If you are pregnant, nursing, or have any other medical condition that affects your ability to fast certain or all foods, please speak with your doctor before beginning this fast and follow the medical guidelines provided to you.

Media:

None. We are turning off all of the noise for this week. We are saying no to music, podcasts, sermons, TV, movies, audio books, etc… We are inclining our ears to hear and listen to God and His word alone. If you want to listen to the Bible via an app like Streetlights, Dwell, The Bible App, etc…, that is, of course, wonderful to do. It is the logos and rhema word of God we are seeking in these days. If you have to listen to something, consider only occasional instrumental music; however, we want to encourage the discomfort of silence so that we can truly listen.

What Should We Do?

With our list of possible time spenders limited to essentials, we have more space to slow down and hear God. This can feel intimidating, boring, or uncertain. As such, we wanted to provide a few possible ideas that can encourage and guide us over these days:

  • Attend the corporate prayer times in the morning and evening.
    Even if we aren’t speaking with one another the same way, these times offer us the encouragement and camaraderie that we are not alone in our weeks or in this fast.

  • Get creative.
    Write, journal, paint, draw/ sketch, color, have fun in our creativity alongside the Creator. For more information and thoughts check out the creative encouragement.

  • Prayer walk.
    Go on prayer walks in your neighborhood, at a park, in downtown, on the riverwalk. Maybe you're praying for the place where you are walking or just talk to God and listen for His voice as you walk along.

  • Journal
    As you discover the inner conversation of your heart, take time to journal what is going on in your heart. This can be in the form of prayer and prose. As you get your thoughts down on paper, listen for God’s response along the way.

  • Get out in nature.
    You do not have to be ‘outdoorsy’ to spend time outdoors. Go sit in a park, in your backyard, in the woods, wherever is comfortable to you and be still amongst all that God has created. Listen to the sounds and songs of nature that proclaim His goodness. There is a grounding that happens in us as we sit in creation. Star gaze, watch the clouds passing by, count the number of Delta airplanes you see, garden, feel the gentle breeze with a heart full of gratitude, sit in the sunshine, rest in the shade, etc… Find what brings you to a place of rest and give time and space for that. Do what brings you joy and engages you in the eternal invitation of the Father to draw near. 

  • Slow prayers.
    Contemplative prayer, breathwork and meditation, lectio devina, Ignatian examen - all of these slower forms of prayer and reading of scripture are great ways to slow down our time with God. There are several resources available for any of these online if you are unsure what they are. Most of those listed can be done in about 15 minutes but provide a guided time that helps us to engage in the silence when we are not sure how. Here are a few resources or explanations you can check out if you would like to know more:

  • Go to sleep.
    This may not sound super spiritual, but in our lives, more of us are running on caffeine, adrenaline, and to do lists than on good solid rest. Some of us may not realize how tired we are when we are on the go all of the time. If in the stopping, resting, silence, you find yourself tired and ready for bed as soon as you get home from evening prayer, or finish your day, there is no guilt in going to bed. Take the nap. Go to bed early. As Solomon wrote in the Psalms: “for he gives to his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:2). It is a gift and one that many of us need more of.

  • Write a letter.

    • Take time to write someone a letter. Encourage them in love. Send it in the mail - who doesn’t love a good piece of mail in their mailbox instead of bills and political flyers? A handwritten letter from you may be just the exact encouragement they need on the day it arrives.