I probably get the question in various forms two or three times per month. “Why is God silent?”
I understand, having had that same question in my younger years. I cried out in excruciating pain to hear anything from God and felt like I was all alone in the universe. Why is he sometimes silent, especially when we’re most desperate to hear him? Even the Psalmist complains about how long God will hold his silence.
All that angst, however, is sorely misplaced. Just because we can’t hear him doesn’t mean he is silent, and if you think he is, that will become self-fulfilling. Over the last few decades of learning to live loved, I have concluded that he is never quiet, and Jesus seemed to say the same thing when he said his Father is always working (John 5:17).
When he seems silent, it’s because our perception is off. He’s speaking; it’s just that we’re not tuned to the frequency he’s using. Something about how we view our circumstances is making it difficult for us to recognize him.
Last week, I was conversing with a friend. We were talking about the mob mentality that can form among a group of Christians when they give themselves to an agenda to change the world that doesn’t include his love. “I have been on the road they are on. And I have met that god and it bears no resemblance to Jesus.”
Having received an email yesterday about God’s silence, I saw a connection with my friend’s words. If we look for the voice of the religious god in our crisis, that god will be silent. That’s a good thing; he would come with blame and condemnation. When we look for the fairy godmother to fix all our frustrations, that god will be silent because he doesn’t exist. Instead of believing he is silent, re-tune your heart to him.
How do you do that? Remember how much you are loved, and let your heart go to him. In his love, surrender to whatever God might have in mind for you. Trying to force God to give you your desired outcome or to meet your expectations will limit your ability to hear him. Find that place of rest and trust where you can seek him with an open heart. And if you’re having trouble finding that place, invite a loving and wise friend alongside. Getting a perspective outside of your emotions can make all the difference.
When you find that place of trusting surrender, you’ll be able to hear what he’s been saying to you all along.
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Thanks for the reminder Wayne!
Wayne, oh how I needed this today. I’m in the middle af a very painful physical condition with no immediate medical treatment. There is a light at the end of the tunnel but I have prayed so hard for relief. But thanks for your reminder that I am loved. Love to you and Sara!
Hi Eva. I’m sorry you’re going through a painful time. You are loved and unfortunately pain is a part of life. Glad you got some hope up the road.
Wayne,
How true this is. Just recently I was going through a financial deadlogg. I could not see a way out.
Then one morning I sensed God’s said to me….FOCUS ON MY LOVE!
So, for the next few weeks that is all I focused on. It wasn’t as easy as it might sound. How do you feel loved if you are in lack of practically everything?.
Then one day, more or less lunch time the was a knock on my door. At first I did not want to open the door. When you are so down, you don’t want to see anyone. That is one way of experiencing hopelessness. But I decided to open the door anyway. There she stood. A Beautiful young, holding something in her hand. It was a ‘vetkoek’. Bread dough fried in veggatable oil.
I thanked her. And close the door. I stood there in the Kitchen, crying for quite a while.
God spoke to me through this love deed of this women.
I sensed His said to me.
“Focus on my Love,
My Love contains everything you need.
My Love is all who I am,
My Love contains the answer of who you are in Me”.
I was not silent, you did not listen to my Love call.
I love you and will care for you untill the end of time.
I love that, Daniel. Thank you for sharing. Truely, when we do have his love we have all that we need. That said, it is still not easy to go through times of deep needd and wonder what he has in mind. Blessings to you.
Hi Wayne, so appreciate your words here…as I reflected on them, I pondered the 400 years of silence in the Bible between the O.T. and N.T. Is there any biblical reference to this time period that sheds any light on it? Was Israel not tuned into God’s frequency? This seems logical, but was there more to it? Are there writings in that time period that might have been included in the canon of Scripture that weren’t for some reason. Or are all my questions just part of the mystery of God, yet to be revealed?
Thanks!
Hi Kim. I don’t believe there was 400 years of silence from God’s standpoint. I’m sure he was still interacting with people, it’s just that nothing was written during that time period that made the Protestant Bible. Jewish and Catholics recognize a number of books written during that time called the Apocrypha. Some great reading, just not on the same level as the books in the more widely accepted canon. So to your questions. (1) Not that I’m aware of. (2) Not likely, though God speaking was a rarer thing before the Spirit was given. (3) There’s always more to it. (4) Yes, see answer above. (5) I like mysteries in God. We can’t grasp all he is, but he is not silent. Thanks for your questions; there’s a lot of confusion about that. “Four hundred years of silence” is only referring to the lack of Scripture written during that period for Protestants, not that God wasn’t at work. As Jesus said, he is always working and revealing stuff to this world.