4 Important Reminders for When God Seems Silent
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As I am writing this, I am watching an episode of “Grantchester.” This episode is about a vicar who is carrying a heavy burden and feels like God has left him. He is on a mission to find God again but still feels like God is not answering his pleas.
I believe we all have felt like God as left us at times. We feel like the more we plead for answers, the more silence we get. Feelings of loneliness and despair creep in, all while you hear nothing but crickets. In those times, giving up seems the only choice.
My present life is a testament to the silence we sometimes feel from God. For two years, I have prayed for a change, only to lose my father-in-law, my dad, and a dear friend of our family. Feelings of dread and depression are my new normal. In this season of despair, I have had to keep pushing through and not give up on God. But I am learning something from the silence and gaining strength to keep on.
Even though God’s silence can be deafening, it can also be amazing. It can be a sweet season in life, one that we can learn many lessons from.
Biblical Silence
I have not met a Christian who has not felt God being silent in their lives. The silence they hear is not a new concept. In the Bible, we read many instances where God’s children felt their prayers were not being heard because they were not getting any clear answers.
Samuel was a young boy dedicated to the Lord by his mother, Hannah. He served at the temple in Shiloh under the mentorship of the priest Eli. In 1 Samuel 3:1 God says “the boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence. In those days, the word of the Lord was rare, and prophetic visions were not widespread.” Samuel had witnessed the silence of God as it was related to the corrupt behavior of Eli’s sons and the nation of Israel.
Job’s story is perhaps one of the most well known in the Bible as it relates to God’s silence. God allowed Satan to test whom He described as a man like no other on Earth. God’s word said Job had perfect integrity (Job 1:8). After much testing, Job cries out to God. “If only I had someone to hear my case! Here is my signature; let the almighty answer me” (Job 31:35).
David also felt God was not hearing him. Psalm 22:2 says, “My God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, by night, yet I have no rest.” David was full of anguish and despair, and he desperately needed God’s guidance and help. Psalm 42:1 says, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you God.” This psalm is a lament by David who wants nothing more than to hear the voice of God over his life.
A man named Asaph (1 Chronicles 15:17-19, 16:5-7, 25:1, 25:6, 2 Chronicles 29:30) who was a contemporary of David, witnessed the challenging times Israel had experienced under Solomon and then King David. In Psalm 83:1 he says, “God, do not keep silent. Do not be deaf, God do not be quiet.”
The 400 years that passed between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament is called “the period of silence.” During those 400 years, Israel is captured by the Greeks, Egypt, Syria, and Rome. Epiphanes destroys the Holy of Holies. Politics were changing and the Sadducees and Pharisee factions were becoming prevalent. The struggles Israel faced and the apparent silence from God nearly erased the hope of a humble messiah saving His children.
What Lessons Can We Learn from Silence?
God’s people are going to have moments where they do not hear God talking, as the above biblical examples prove. Even kings could not hear God’s voice. During the moments when all you wish for is the sound of God’s voice, there are still lessons to be learned.
1. God Has Not Left
The first lesson is that God’s silence is not a sign of His disappointment or disapproval of you. God has not left you to your own devices. In the Scriptures we read the promises of God, and the most prevalent is the promise that God will never leave you.
Hebrews 13:5 tells readers “I will never leave you or abandon you.” In Deuteronomy 31:8 Moses tells the Israelites “The Lord is the One who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” From the beginning of time, God knew we could not live this life on our own. He will fulfill all His promises (Genesis 28:15).
2. Hold on to Trust
Secondly, God will teach you about trust. When you feel like God is being silent, what will you do? Will you trust Him and His plans, or will you embark on your self-made journey? His perceived silence is a time when we can think about how much trust we are putting in this world and how little trust the world can give us. The period of silence you are experiencing is the time to deepen your trust in God’s plans.
3. Learn to Listen Well
Thirdly, we can learn new ways to hear God. God’s creation is full of ways to hear him. Just recently, I watched the birth of a calf on our farm. Every detail from the beginning of labor until the calf began nursing was perfect. It was a jolting declaration that God has a perfect plan for me, and I need to be present to fulfill those plans. During Hurricane Helene, a tree was blown over in our yard. As I watched the power of the wind, I could hear God saying do not forget the power I have to make great things happen in your life.
4. God Is Never Truly Silent
Lastly, when God seems silent, we can learn He never really is. God is always speaking to our hearts, souls, and minds. His perceived silence is an invitation to strengthen your relationship with him. It’s an invitation to open your heart and mind to discover all the ways He is speaking to you. Terry L. Givens said, “There are many kinds of silences, and not all signify absence or vacancy… Those moments are but temporary ebbs before the flow of meaning rushes in to fill the space… God may be speaking in ways we have yet to recognize as speech.”
What Can We Do When God Seems Silent?
Having a strong relationship with anyone requires work. The same goes with God. When God seems silent in your life, there are steps you can take to hear God again.
The most crucial step is to not stop praying. Do not cut off the most important line of communication you have. Prayer is a time when you are inviting God to have a conversation with you. It is a time when you can be brutally honest with your feelings. God’s prophet, Habakkuk, boldly asked God how long must he call for help (Habakkuk 1:2). David and Job boldly ask God where He is and when would He rescue them. Prayer is the place we can become desperate before God. We can lay out all our questions, thoughts, feelings, and praises.
During the quiet times, we can also examine ourselves. Sometimes when we think God is absent, it is a time when we have hardened our hearts. We have let negative emotions dictate our actions and are no longer willing or able to hear God. When this happens, take a hard look at your life and remember all the blessings God has already given you. Neale Donal Walsch said, “Truth and God are found in the same place; that place is silence.” The silence is when you may discover that God is speaking and guiding you to be better.
As we journey through the valley, we must stay grounded in the Word. In God’s word we will hear him speak again. He will point out a verse in a new way. He will remind you of His promises. He will show you love and mercy in each syllable.
Don’t Give Up
When God seems silent in your life do not be afraid the silence will stick around. Remember that God still loves you and promises to never leave you.
I leave you with the words of Oswald Chambers from his book “My Utmost for His Highest.”
“When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible – with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation.”
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