Where God Finds Me When I Stop Talking

When Silence Becomes Sacred

There’s a version of me that goes quiet when the world gets too loud.

Not the poetic kind of quiet, like the one that sits calmly with a cup of tea and journals prayers into the golden hour. I wish it was that kind. But no, the quiet I’m talking about is heavier. It settles in when I’m overwhelmed, burnt out, or doing everything I can to avoid conflict. It’s the silence that wraps around me when I’ve run out of energy to explain myself, when I’m holding back tears I can’t name, and when the weight of it all makes me forget how to speak.

Sometimes, I don’t even notice it at first. It starts slow… maybe with a few unanswered texts or messages I promise I’ll get back to. Or maybe I find myself standing at the sink, water running, eyes glazed, thoughts spiraling inward. Sometimes I go quiet not because I don’t care, but because I care so deeply that it hurts. And in those moments, it feels safer to shut down than to try to untangle the mess in my heart.

So I stop talking. I stop explaining. I stop praying out loud. I pull away, not because I want to, but because I don’t know how else to cope. Silence feels like my only option. If I speak, everything might unravel.

But here’s what I’m learning, slowly and tenderly: God finds me there. In the silence. In the stillness that feels like a dead end. In the places I retreat to when I feel too much and don’t know how to say it.

He doesn’t rush in, demanding words from me. He doesn’t shame me for going quiet. He simply sits with me. Steady. Gentle. Present. There’s something about His nearness that doesn’t need noise to be real. When I stop talking, He doesn't go looking for a louder version of me. No. He finds me exactly where I am.

And the silence isn’t empty with Him. It’s sacred. It’s where I’m seen without striving. It’s where I’m known without having to explain. He meets me in the ache I can’t put into words. In the tension I’ve tried to avoid. In the grief I’ve minimized with half-laughs and “I’m okay.”

And sometimes, on the gentlest days… He speaks first. Not with thunder. Not with rebuke. But in a whisper that cuts through the noise in my head:
“I see you. I’m not leaving. You don’t have to say a word.”

There have been so many moments where I’ve believed I needed to show up stronger. Pray harder. Speak louder. But He reminds me, again and again, that He’s never required my performance. Just my heart. Even the messy, quiet, worn-out version.

Maybe you’re in that place too. Maybe the pressure is building, or you’re avoiding a conversation that feels like too much, or maybe you’re just tired. Maybe you’ve gone quiet in a way that even you don’t fully understand. If that’s where you are, let me gently say this: you’re not broken for being silent. You’re not distant from God because your voice feels small. And you are not failing in faith just because you’ve run out of words.

God is not waiting for a polished prayer or a perfect explanation. He’s already in the room. Already loving you. Already holding your heart together in the quiet. So if you find yourself retreating, let that retreat become sacred. Let it become the place where you’re met, not missed.

You don’t have to talk to be heard. You don’t have to perform to be loved. And you don’t have to find the right words to be found.

He is already where you are.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9

Love, Sarah xx.

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Reflection Question:
When was the last time you felt safe to be silent with God? What did that space feel like for you?

A Prayer for the Quiet Ones
God, sometimes I don’t have the words. Sometimes I’m too tired, too overwhelmed, or too afraid of what might come out if I start to speak. But You…You find me in the silence. You sit with me in the stillness. You don’t need the right words to meet me. Help me to believe that even here, especially here, I am held. Thank You for loving me in the quiet. Amen.

Thank you so much for spending a little time with me here at Little Sparrow Loved. It truly means more than I can say to be able to share pieces of my faith journey with you. If today’s post blessed you, I’d love to hear from you in the comments—and if you think someone else might need these words too, it would mean the world if you shared it. Every little share helps this small, growing space more than you know.

And I’m so excited for what’s coming next! In my upcoming members-only post, I’ll be releasing The Hidden Path—a 5-day devotional all about trusting when you can’t see the way. I’d love for you to consider upgrading and supporting my work as a Christian Creator. As a member, you’ll get instant access to all future downloads, exclusive posts, and the full archive.