Menu

I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
               Sonya Contreras

When God Is Silent

Remember the Israelites? 
God sent prophet after prophet to warn them of coming judgment.
They ignored His warnings.
God removed His Presence from them.
He didn’t speak to them for 400 years.

When He did, had they repented and sought His pleasure?
No.
When He spoke, He spoke in spite of their response.
Sometimes, God is silent because He’s said all He needs to say.

During those silent years, God prepared the world for His Son.
Through Rome’s control, a relative peace was established. 

Rome built roads, and organized trade, as well as establishing mail systems—providing a means for the Gospel to be spread more effectively. The apostolic letters could be circulated with ease.
Synagogues were established across the Roman Empire, providing the starting base for Christian congregations.
All happened while God was silent.
God may have be silent, but He is not inactive.

The Psalmist often told God, “Oh my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest” (Psalm 22:2).
Often in distress or great need, when we finally acknowledge God, we view His silence as a lack of care.
Aren’t we commanded to take all our cares to Him?
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (I Peter 5:7).
Jesus instructed His disciples to take their needs, desires and concerns to the Father. (John 16:23-26). 
“Whatever you ask in My name that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13-14.

So what causes the silence of God?
Moses prayed to cross the Red Sea, (Exodus 14-15), Elijah requested acceptance of  his sacrifice on Mount Carmel (I Kings 18:30-39). 
God responded immediately, with power and authority.
But often, God’s responses are encased in principles found in His Word that must be mined and studied out (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 
It requires study and listening.
God commends “those who by reason of use have their sense exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14).
We must search it out.
God may be answering through His Word.

Job after his unanswered request for his suffering was told by his wife to curse God and die.
He responded, “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” (Job 2:10).
Through his suffering, Job learned of God’s authority. “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” (Job 13:15).
A.W. Tozer said, “God is able to do as He pleases always, everywhere, forever.” 
God teaches His authority through His silence.

The entire book of Job, God is silent until chapter 38.
God is in control all along. 
He heard Job.
Job had to wait.

God’s silence may be a delay in the answer to produce growth: “the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).
Waiting for God’s response develops patience, faith, contentment, empathy and righteousness.
Too often in today’s impatient Christian world, when we don’t receive an answer, instead of waiting, we do what we want to do. 
We don’t learn patience. 
We don’t grow in faith.
We certainly don’t become content, because we are ready for the next blessing before we have thanked Him for what He has already done. We don’t even realize we’ve moved on without God.

Sometimes God is silent because it’s not the right time.
His answer is not “no”, but “wait.”
Jesus illustrated this with the persistent widow in Luke 18:2-8.
God wants to hear from us.
But He wants our requests to be resolute and firm—not changing daily over a whim.

Elijah, the same prophet who called down fire from heaven and instantly God answered (I Kings 18:30-39), also had his requests meet with silence.
He persisted—asking God seven times for an answer.
God rewarded in HIS time. (I Kings 18:41-45).

Sometimes Christians must simply trust and move forward in faith.
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”(Isaiah 55:8-9).

Those who move in faith through His silence are commended.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth…Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect (Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40).

Silence may be a sign of God’s trust in you.
Remember Lazarus?
He was ill. Mary and Martha sent for Jesus .
Jesus waited two days (John 11:6).
Lazarus died.
Martha and Mary felt Jesus’s delay was neglect and uncaring.
But Jesus instructs that it’s meant to draw them closer to Him.

Oswald Chambers says in My Utmost for His Highest, “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.”

Ever be so comfortable with a person that no words are necessary?
That’s the silence of intimacy.
God chose Job to receive His Silence because He trusted him.
He may have also chosen you.

Are you experiencing God’s silence?
It’s not a reason to turn your back on Him.
Rather press forward and seek Him more diligently.
Even in His silence.
Hold on to Him. 
You will not be disappointed.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/christian-living/christianity-in-progress/when-god-is-silent/
https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/prayer/learn-from-gods-silence.html


alt

No comments found

Faith
Find more articles about faith here:
What Were You Thinking?
Who Are You Watching?
Boundaries for a Better Life
God's Boundaries
Memories of a Hero Mom
The Ripple Effect
How Do We Think Like Jesus
Litany of a Waiting Woman
Ever Cook a Frog?
New Year's Reminders
They Galled Her Gammy
When God Speaks
A Russian Christmas Story
Be Thankful
Be Grateful
Are You Tired of the Same, Old Thing?
  (reprint)
Laughter—Why Laugh?
Mom
Are You Disturbed?
Unity of the Brothers
Encouragements To Declutter
Do You Have Too Much Stuff?
Too Much Stress
Getting Past the Noise—The Value of Silence
Are You Scatterbrained?
How Good Are You?
Looking for Something Good To Read?
A Cup of Cold Water
I Will Trust When I Cannot See
Encouragement—What Is It?
Being in God's Presence
"Einstein and the Professor"
When God Is Silent
Do You Crave Beauty?
Using Stories to Discipline
The Danger of the Wrong Story
Using Stories to Teach Lessons
God is in charge of the future
November Dare Joy Challenge
Ungratefulness
Developing an Attitude of Gratitude
Looking for Jesus
What Do Your Prayers Reflect?
Life's Little Pleasures
Daniel—Greatly Loved by God
Take Every Thought
Jars of Clay
What Do Your Words Reveal about Your Heart?
How Do You Get Strong Faith?
Too Busy for God's Word?
How Do You Think Like Jesus?
Reflections from a Mom
Pain—What's It Good For?
Why Marry?
Consider the Robin
One Life Who Made a Difference
What Day Are You Living In?
Interrupted by God
Is Jesus Really the Answer to Everything?
Are You Beat Up?
What's Your Hurry?
Are You a Manipulator?
Are You Salty?
Are You Condemned?
Trying to Understand?
Do You Expect Answers to Your Prayers?
Do You Eat Your Stress?
Need Focus?
Going through Trouble?
Immanuel—God with Us
Looking for a Relationship?
When God Says, "No!"
What Do You Do with Left-Overs?
How Great Is Your God?
Are You Needy?
How Do You See Sin?
What Do Your Words Mean?
Is Evil Overwhelming You?
Those Aha Moments
Is Your Soul Happy?
Are You Ignored?
Looking for the God Moment
Do You Know Truth from Almost Truth?
I Believe in Jesus—What Now?
Do You Have Your "Son"-Glasses On?
Less Is More
Singing His Praise
Are You Trying To Do It All?
What Do You Do with All These Prayer Requests?
Have a Problem?
Do You Know How to Pray?
Looking for God in Every Moment
Are You Receptive to God's Blessings?
Tell the Senate: Mothers Aren't Birthing People
Is Your Life Complicated?
How Do We Fight Evil?
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Giving Up or Taking Away
the Bible is simple
Are You a Dripping Faucet?
What's Your Testimony?
The Final Move
Be Careful What You Wish For!
Are Your Prayers Answered?
I Choose Joy
What Have You Learned from Your Hardship?
Who Are You Trying to Change?
What's Your Five-Year Plan?
The Danger of "Aloneness"
My Colors
Are You a Whiner?
Are Your Works Approved?
Do You Think You're Stressed?
Is Your Soul Feeling Ragged?
God Speaks to the Heart of the King
What about the Details?
Have You Felt the Long-Suffering of God?
How Does God Lead You?
Do You Have Enough?
Don't Carry More than You Need
Cast the Seed
God Is Faithful
Are You Deceived?
Are You Essential?
Are You Safe?
Are You Tired of the Same Old Thing?
Does the World Make Sense?
Have You Seen God's Majesty?
Do You Feel Judged?
If You Only Had One More Day To Live
Are You Understood?
Do You Long for the Word of God?
Slow Down and Smell the Dead Leaves
Are You Hospitable?
Our Heritage Is Bought by Blood
Are You Disturbed?
Are You Depressed?
I Did It My Way
Finding the Simple Life with Meaning
The Simple Life
Do You Have the Right Words?
Did Your Dream Die?
On the Other Side of the Fence
Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence
Confessions of a Desperate Mom
Saving for Tomorrow
A Wedding Remembered
Who Will Stand in the Gap?
Are You a Protector or a Ruler?
Who Are You?
Are You an Image Bearer or a Wad of Cells?
Are You a Watchman?
Where Do You Find Meaning?
The Lamb of God as Told by a Scribe
What Love Is This?
Remember: The Symbols of Passover Explained
Tea and Rest
Do You Have Peace?
What Makes a Marriage Work?
When Life Is Awful
Are You Strong Enough?
Rules
Seasons
Be Faithful through Suffering
Do You Know the Word?
Wake Up! Strengthen What Remains
Are You Spit in God's Mouth?
Is Jezebel in Your Midst?
Do You Stand Against Satan Himself?
Are You Tired of Being a Mom?
What in the World Is Happening?
It's Not My Story
How Would Your Faith Compare?
Are You Sinking?
Are You a Rule Follower?
Useful for Him
An Intimate Moment with Mary
The Worldview that Makes the
   Underclass

Thoughts to Ponder
What Does It Take To Know the
    Heart of God?

See the Story in the Stars
Do the Scriptures Burn You?
Being in His Presence
Contentment: It's Not for the Timid
How Secure Are You?
How Do You Respond To Stupid People?
The Earthworm Is My Hero
Heart Issues or Issues of the Heart
Things Aren't Always What They Seem
More faith articles are found here:
alt
under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Or here:
alt
under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Articles on Suffering can be found  here, 
alt
under Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Special Days
Remember: The Symbols of 
   Passover Explained
    

Aug 12, 2017 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
July 4th, Freedom
What Is an American Soldier?
Valentine's Day: A Day of Love?
Memorial Day-A Day To Remember
Veterans' Day-To Honor Our Men
Fall Colors
First Thanksgiving Day
    Proclamation

Christmas: Stories behind the Songs
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs, part 2

Author of Biblical fiction, married to my best friend, and challenged by eight sons’ growing pains as I write about what matters.

Receive weekly articles by giving your email address below: