The Psychological Resistance to Silence: When Noise Becomes a Hiding Place

The Quiet That Confronts

There’s a type of silence that soothes. But there’s also a silence that speaks louder than words ever could.

This isn’t about avoidance or withdrawal—it’s about strategy. Lately, I’ve been living in a season of stillness. Not because I had nothing to say.

But because I’ve sensed that in the noise of the world—especially for Black women like me who are constantly navigating loss, expectations, and change—there is a deep spiritual calling to pause.

Some people call it checking out. I call it checking in.

When Silence Feels Like Surrender (But Isn’t)

In our culture, silence is often mistaken for weakness. For being too passive. Too unsure. Too vulnerable.

But when Jesus stood before the chief priests and elders, being falsely accused, Matthew 27:12 says: “He gave no answer.”

His silence wasn’t weakness. It was power. It was restraint. It was a statement all its own.

There’s a reason Psalm 46:10 says: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Stillness is a form of submission. But it’s not to people. It’s to purpose.

Could It Be?

Let me ask what I’ve been asking myself lately:

Could it be that the silence you’ve been resisting is the very tool God wants to use to recalibrate your next season?

Could it be that the constant noise, movement, and mental busyness have become your hiding place?

Could it be that silence makes you uncomfortable because it forces you to hear truth—truth about your relationships, your purpose, or even your pain?

Sometimes we don’t want clarity. We want comfort. But silence is where clarity lives.

Why We Resist the Quiet

Here’s what I’ve come to realize: The psychological resistance to silence comes from fear. Not fear of silence itself—but fear of what we’ll hear in it. So we stay busy. We stay scrolling. We stay talking. And we miss the whisper of divine instruction because we’re tuned into everything but the Spirit.

As Black women, many of us have been conditioned to perform strength. But what if the strongest thing you could do this month is… pause?

My Silence Isn’t Empty. It’s Full of Meaning.

August came and went, and I didn’t publish a blog. Not because I didn’t care. Not because I didn’t have anything to say. But because I’m still in the thick of hearing what God is saying to me. And if you’ve ever grieved, rebuilt, or tried to catch your breath after a heavy season—you know what I mean.

This pause has been purposeful. It’s reminding me that my power isn’t in producing. It’s in being present with my Creator.

An Invitation to You

If you’ve been feeling spiritually off…If you’ve been grieving a job loss, the shift in your identity, or relationships that no longer align…

I challenge you this October to practice the spiritual discipline of silence.

Don’t rush to fix it. Don’t force the next move.Instead, sit in the sacred quiet. Your power doesn’t disappear in the silence. It expands.

Call to Reflection

• Journal Prompt:

  • What have I been avoiding hearing in the silence?

• Challenge:

  • Carve out one hour this week with no phone, no TV, no people. Just your thoughts and your God. Listen for what rises.

Closing Thought

Silence isn’t about doing less—it’s about hearing more. This season may feel uncertain, but you’re not losing your voice—you’re learning to listen with it. Stay open, stay grounded, and trust that clarity is coming.