Close but Quiet
If I turn my radio on and it is too loud, I have a volume control knob, and I can turn it down so low that it makes no sound at all. The station is still broadcasting. My radio is still on, and receiving the signal. I can hear nothing because I have closed the door to the sound, though.
The Spirit of God is as close as my identity is. When He is quiet, it is frequently not because He has nothing to say to me, but because I have turned down the volume so that I can better hear myself, or my favorite entertainment or my accuser or distractor.
The volume is frequently turned down without me being conscious of it. My best habit is to frequently check it to be sure it is set high. And then, to listen, and then, to obey. Be awesome!
Douglas Thomas