When Presence Speaks Louder Than Words

Darshan Nicole Williams, PhD
Sep 10
2 min read

As a ministry leader, a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend, and a counselor, I’ve often felt the weight of expectation—the thought that I should always have the right words to say. Whether it’s sitting with a client, ministering to someone in prison, or standing with my own family and closest friends in times of heartache, there’s this pressure that because of who I am and what I do, I should always know what to say.

But the truth is, there are moments when words aren’t enough. There are situations where, no matter how much Scripture I know or how strong my faith is, my words cannot erase someone’s pain—or even my own. Trauma, grief, and loss touch us all, and faith doesn’t exempt us from the waves of emotion that come with them.

What I’ve learned in those moments is that compassion and presence are often more powerful than words. Too many people hold back from showing up because they feel inadequate—like if they can’t say something profound or comforting, then they shouldn’t come at all. But I’ve found that showing up is the ministry. Presence carries the love of God. It carries His compassion, His grace, and His mercy.

There are times I’ve prayed for healing or relief for someone, and the outcome was not what we hoped for. Words didn’t change the reality. But even then, my presence—just sitting there, holding a hand, crying alongside them—spoke louder than anything I could have said.

Scripture tells us that Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). That means His love, His actions, His service, His compassion, His very being embodied the Word of God. He was the Word walking among us. And in the same way, when we carry His Spirit, we become vessels of His Word through our presence.

There have been moments when I longed to have the perfect words to ease the pain of someone I loved, but I came up empty. And that’s when I realized—I don’t always have to have the words. My presence, filled with the Spirit of God, is enough. Sometimes the most powerful ministry is not in what we say but in how we show up.

So I remind myself—and I want to remind you too—you don’t have to fix it. You don’t always have to explain it. You don’t even always have to speak. Sometimes, simply being there is the ministry. Because when we show up, we carry Him—and His presence is more than enough.