When God is Silent

Anyone who has been a Christian for any amount of time has probably been through a period when God was silent. Even non-Christians may have sought Him and not heard Him. In today’s world of e-mail, internet, text messaging, and cell phones we expect to hear quickly from someone to whom we reached out. We send a message to someone and get impatient if we don’t get a response immediately. When things in our lives seem out of control and we cry out to God, we likewise get impatient when we don’t hear his response or see results.

God’s Word Delayed by a Persian Prince. In Daniel 10, Daniel was in a state of depression. After having a vision from God, he was concerned for his home of Israel. He was in mourning for three weeks. He did not doubt the truth of his vision, but did not understand what he saw. Returning to God, he fasted and prayed for understanding. After 24 days, he had a celestial visitor. The voice explained that God had heard him and dispatched an answer immediately in the form of Michael the archangel. Michael explained that he was delayed by the Prince of Persia, a reference to an evil angelic power. Michael explained in four parts to Daniel what was to happen but said that the meaning of the message would become clear in the end times. He assured Daniel that God was in control and was not silent toward Daniel.

This says two things to me. First, no one is immune from feeling the silence of God. If one of Israel’s greatest prophets experienced God’s silence, we should very well be subject to it. The second thing is that, even today, we Christians are in a spiritual battle. When we pray to God, when we get close to Him, Satan shudders and will do what he can to distract us. One only needs to look at the nightly news to see the chaos and disorder in our world today.

Daniel’s response of fasting and praying was not a bad response, but that topic needs some expansion for another time. We may already be fervent prayer warriors and engage in fasting but we need to know how to approach the silence. As human beings we have blind spots.

Confess. I think there are six steps we can take when God is silent. The first of these is to humbly consider if there is unconfessed sin in our lives. As He brings things to mind, confess those sins and seek forgiveness. As we are examining ourselves, see if our priorities are in order. Is there anything in our lives we love more than we love God?

Let God be God. Our God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. There is nothing He doesn’t know and nothing He cannot do. The Supreme Commander of the Universe is always with us. He wants a relationship with you. Make Him supreme in your life and build a relationship.

Listen. In this world, there are many distractions. If we get caught up in the distractions we may not hear when God speaks. In I Kings, Elijah had a “mountaintop moment.” He killed all the prophets of Baal in a memorable showdown. Jezebel sent a messenger to him which read “ So may the gods do to me and more so, if by about this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the life of one of them” (I Kings 19:2). Elijah’s response? He went into the wilderness and had a pity party, praying to God to take his life. But God had other plans. He provided bread and water to nourish Elijan. We are told he went on a 40-day journey on the strength of that miraculous meal God provided. Elijah came to a cave in Horeb, and had another pity party. “I am alone against these heathens. Israel has abandoned the covenant, torn down the altars, and killed God’s prophets.”

God told him to go stand on the mountain. God was passing by! There was a strong wind that decimated the mountain. Then an earthquake came, followed by a huge fire. But God was not in any of these. We are told that there was then the sound of a gentle blowing. God was in the still small voice, an almost inaudible whisper. God spoke in that whisper. He gave Elijah his instructions and added that Elijah was not alone. There were 7,000 Israelites who have not bowed to Baal and they would live. This is the only time in the Bible that God spoke in a “still small voice.” We should be seeking God wherever He may be found.

The Nature of Silence. Silence can mean many things. If a couple is having an argument, maybe one of them storms out of the room. An uncomfortable silence will ensue. On another occasion, a couple may be wrapped up in a blanket, gazing into a fire and enjoying the quiet moment. Only the sounds of nature and the crackling fire disturb the silence. This is an intimate silence. If we sense that God is silent it can be that He trusts us. Why did God allow Job to undergo the misfortunes that Satan inflicted on him? Job was very close to God. In Job 1:8 God said to Satan “What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him—he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil.” God trusted Job implicitly. He knew Job would not turn away. We see the same thing with Elijah when he was feeling rejected. God knew Elijah and He knew what he needed. Silence can be intimate.

Don’t Turn Away. Silence can ensue when we have tunnel vision. We pray to God, on the surface we remain faithful. But we don’t know what He has in store. I know of a young single mother who wanted a good father for her children. She prayed to God constantly, but she didn’t sense a response. She had met someone and they began a relationship. He proposed many times. She rejected his proposals. Finally, God got through to her. She sensed God telling her to accept. “You prayed for a good father for your children. I have sent him to you.” They wed, and had a long, happy marriage.

God answers us on time. God is never late. But also never early. We can have a period of silence from God when He doesn’t operate on our timetable. God has a plan and the things we are seeking may not be God’s best for us. The timing may not be right. Trust God. He knows what you need. In Philippians 4:19 Paul wrote “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” How many needs? All of them. How great are His riches?” Unlimited. Note, that Paul only said He would provide all our needs. He does not provide all our wants and desires.

Earlier I wrote that God is omniscient. He knows all. He is omnipotent. He is all powerful. He is omnipresent. He is always with us. That gives me great assurance. “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine.”

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All scripture is from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.

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