One of the greatest attacks of the enemy is to make you busy, to

"One of the greatest attacks of the enemy is to make you busy, to make you hurried, to make you noisy, to make you distracted, to fill the people of God and the Church of God with so much noise and activity that there is no room for prayer. There is no room for being alone with God. There is no room for silence. There is no room for meditation." These words, spoken by Paul Washer, reflect a truth as old as humanity itself: the greatest battle we face is not always against outward forces, but within our own hearts, minds, and habits. The enemy he speaks of does not always come with sword and shield, but through the distractions and busyness that pull us away from the very thing that sustains our soul—solitude with God, prayer, and the quiet reflection that allows us to hear the still, small voice of the Divine.

In the ancient world, the wise often sought silence as a means of connecting with the eternal truths that lay beyond the chaos of daily life. Great figures like Socrates or Confucius understood that true wisdom is not found in the clamor of the marketplace or in the noise of the world, but in moments of deep reflection and solitude. The spiritual seeker has always known that without time alone with the Divine, without time set apart for meditation and prayer, the soul becomes weary, distracted, and unable to perceive the deeper truths of existence. The noise of the world drowns out the sacred, and in that silence, we lose touch with our true selves.

Consider the example of Jesus Christ, who, in the midst of His busy ministry, withdrew to the mountain or the wilderness to pray alone. Despite the pressing demands of the crowds, despite the constant need for healing and teaching, He understood that to continue His mission, He needed the stillness of His Father’s presence. In the Gospels, we see time and again how He retreated from the noise of the world to reconnect with the source of His strength—God. In this withdrawal, Jesus set for us an example that in the midst of the world’s clamor, there is a need to create space for prayer, meditation, and silence—the true wellspring of the soul’s strength.

Yet, in today’s world, the enemy that Washer speaks of is ever-present. Our lives are filled with endless distractions—technology, social media, constant communication, and worldly pursuits—and these distractions create an environment in which the soul’s need for quiet and reflection is ignored. The busyness of modern life becomes a veil that prevents us from hearing the still, small voice of God. We are so filled with activity, so caught up in the noise, that we forget the profound power of solitude and stillness. We forget that in the quiet moments, when we are alone with our thoughts and with God, we are given the space to hear, to reflect, and to be transformed.

This is where the enemy strikes—through the busyness that keeps us from prayer, that fills our lives with activity but no substance, no peace. The Church, meant to be a sanctuary of stillness, often becomes a place of constant motion, where people are so focused on programs, on events, on noise, that they forget the very reason they gather: to commune with God. In the rush to serve, to be active, to make a difference in the world, we may lose sight of the quiet moments of reflection that sustain us spiritually. Washer’s warning calls us to remember that without prayer and meditation, without moments of being alone with God, all the noise and activity is empty.

The lesson is clear: silence is not merely the absence of noise but the presence of something far deeper—a space where the soul can breathe, where God can speak, and where we can be renewed in purpose. In the story of St. Teresa of Ávila, a woman who transformed the spiritual landscape of her time, we see this truth come to life. Despite the demands of her work and the turbulent times in which she lived, she found strength in the quiet moments of prayer. She understood that to serve others, to lead a meaningful life, she must first be nourished in the silence of God’s presence. It was from this solitude that her ministry, her writings, and her influence flowed.

In practical terms, we must make room in our lives for stillness. We must create intentional moments of solitude, where we retreat from the world’s noise and distractions and seek God’s presence. This does not mean abandoning our duties or responsibilities, but it does mean prioritizing prayer and meditation, even if only for a few minutes each day. Let us follow the example of the great spiritual figures who, in the midst of a noisy world, carved out time for stillness, knowing that in those moments of quiet, they would find the strength to continue their journey. And so, let us not be consumed by the noise of our world, but instead, let us seek the peace that only comes in solitude with God.