When God Is Silent ~ Part 1

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This is one of the messages I’m asked to speak on often because it’s a season we have all faced at one time or another. Maybe you’re there now.

We’ve all been there. 

The place where we are desperate to hear from God or to see Him move in our circumstances, but it seems as though our prayers are hitting the ceiling. At times like that, it’s easy to feel like God doesn’t see us or like He doesn’t really care.

I hear from women who feel stuck. Like they can’t hear from God. Like He isn’t there or He doesn’t care. SO, for the next 4 posts, I will be sharing a bit about what I speak on that I hope will encourage your heart.

So this is for you…the sweet lady who is in the middle of a season of silence and is wondering why God seems so silent.

We’ve all lived long enough to know that life isn’t always easy. We’ve all walked through some difficult places in our lives….those times when life is hard and you feel like God is far.

You pray for God to show up and do something, but you feel like He isn’t listening…times when God is silent.

Maybe you feel like you’re walking through a season of God’s silence in the area of…

YOUR FINANCES – you take one step forward & at least 2 back. One financial need after the other with no end in sight. You’re in debt up to your eyeballs, you don’t even know what a savings account is and you’re wondering where God is…why He isn’t doing anything…Does He care?

YOUR MARRIAGE – you’ve done all you can to be a good wife and make your marriage work, but nothing has changed. You still have the same problems you did a year ago…a decade ago and you’ve grown weary. You’re tired of being hurt, tired of trying and your heart for your husband is growing cold.

YOUR PARENTING – you’ve raised them the best you could, you’re doing everything you can as a parent. You’ve taken them to counselors, you’ve soaked your pillow with tears and worn holes in the carpet beside your bed where plant your knees night after night as you cry out to God for your kids, but they keep making one destructive decision after another.

I don’t know where you are or what you’re going through, but I believe the Lord has me sharing this for a reason and I believe many of you are feeling broken by God’s silence. You’re wondering where God is, why He doesn’t do something. Wondering if He sees what you’re going through and if He really cares?

I have to share something with you…As I was praying over you all and praying for our time together, the Lord lead me to Isaiah 40:1 which says, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.”

I don’t know what you are going through, sweet friends, but I know God wants to comfort your heart.

You may feel like you are broken…you may feel like God is silent, but I want you to know…based on the WORD OF GOD and the CHARACTER of GOD…that – God’s silence does not equal God’s absence…nor does it equal His inactivity. You may not see Him doing anything – you may not hear Him, but I assure you, He is with you and He is working behind the scenes of your life…oh yes…He is very much at work in your present circumstances.

Most of us have experienced ‘the wait’ that takes place in a doctor’s office. It seems like forever between the time you sign up and the time they finally call you back. And then you have to wait some more.

It’s all so awkward. Even frustrating.

Maybe you feel like you’re in God’s waiting room. But I want you to know if you’re in a season of silence, you’re actually in good company. Abraham, Moses, Job, Joseph, David, Asaph, the Sons of Korah, Jonah, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul, Mary, Martha and a host of others who have gone before us, have all experienced their own seasons when they felt broken by God’s silence.

And if you’re like me, the first thing you tend to think when you’re feeling broken by God’s silence is that you’ve done something wrong…like there must be some sin you’ve committed, something you’re holding on to that has put a divider up between you and God.

And to be honest, sometimes that’s true. 

But when that happens, the Spirit of God makes us keenly aware of what it is we need to deal with, and it is God’s goodness that leads us to repentance. So, we confess it, forsake it and move forward in our fellowship with the Living God.

But if we choose to hold on to it, we are choosing to keep the dividing wall up and we can’t really expect to hear from God. (Isaiah 59:2)

BUT, sin is only ONE REASON that God may choose to be silent in our lives. God is God…and His ways are higher than ours – so to be honest, we may not always know all the reasons for the season’s of silence we go through. But threaded throughout the Word of God are many examples that can help us better understand our own seasons of silence and how to handle it when we feel like God is silent.

Sometimes God is silent…Because our lives are just too loud.

Let’s face it, we’re all busy…maybe too busy. We’ve got distractions coming at us from every direction. We’re constantly on the go. Playing taxi drivers, running errands and moving at warp speed trying to get it all done.

We’ve got laundry, cooking, cleaning, homework, shopping…oh, and let’s not forget the full time job. We’ve got a cell phone in one hand and a steering wheel in the other and we’re taking care of business on the fly.

We get SO wrapped up and distracted by our dailies that we leave God out and then wonder where He is.

Our lives have become so loud that we drown out the still small voice of God and at times, He may choose to be silent in order to get our attention.

He knows that His silence is deafening to our hearts. He knows that His silence will speak very loudly to our souls.

Today, if you’ve allowed your life to be so loud that you’ve drowned out the still small voice of God, I want to encourage you to take some time and just bask in the beauty of knowing Him.

Be STILL and KNOW that HE IS GOD. Press into Him. Delight in Him. Make Him the object of your affection. 

When my hubby and I went to adopt our puppy, we sat in the middle of the cute little litter of precious pups trying to figure out which one would become ours. One little guy managed to waddle his way up into my hubby’s lap and when he pulled him up to his chest, that cutie patootie tucked his head down and pressed his little puppy head against my husband’s chest as hard has he could.

Needless to say, he won our hearts and we took him home.

We named him Wilson (after the soccer ball on Castaway…yeah…we’re goofy like that) and even at 130 pounds, he pressed his gargantuan Dobbie head against us just like he did the day we sat sat among the litter looking for a the puppy we would take home and make ours.

We loved how he PRESSED IN! And how he never stopped pressing in until the day he died ten years later.

When our lives are loud and we long to hear from the Living God, we have to press in!

PRESS IN…be still and know that He is God. Don’t allow your life to be so loud that you drown out the still small voice of God.

Is YOUR life too loud?

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12 Comments

  1. I know you wrote this just for me!! Everything you have written is about what I’m going through with my job. My job at the same company for 30 years and now I guess I’m to old to continue, so my new boss is making me miserable! I know God has a plan for me and I am trying so hard to be patient! Please include me in your prayers! I need them! Thank you Stephanie! I’d love to share this post on my blog so I can read it over and over and maybe spread the word! Kelly

    • Oh Kelly! I’m SO thankful this ministered to you! Those seasons of silence can be SO hard! Praying for you sweet friend and…absolutely…please feel free to share this. I only ask that you link back to share where you got it from. Hugs and prayers, my sweet friend! Keep me posted too. When I share the 3 part, next week I think it will definitely make your heart smile big time!

  2. Thank you so much for sharing.I really needed to soak in that.I been hearing God’s silence loud and clear for over 23 years.I do wonder sometimes if God truly cares.Sometimes I simply feel like a blank piece of paper,so empty and alone.May God bless you in your ministry.

    • Thank you for coming over to the site and sharing your heart. I want you to know God sees you and God cares. Sometimes, we don’t understand why we go through certain things, but the Bible says He loves us with an everlasting love. I hope you’ll continue to read the next 3 posts. I think they will really encourage you. Thank you again. 🙂

      • Thank you so much for your quick response.It means a lot to me.And yes I do plan on reading.I thank God that I discovered you tonight.You have a beautiful heart.Again thank you so much.xoxoxoxoxo

  3. I love this,more wisdom in jesus name amen.

  4. I have been going through some difficult times and have not read my emails in way too long. I just found this and I have to say THANK YOU so Much. This is like it is written just to me and I will be following the next few posts too. I have been battling depression and anxiety most of my life. The past month has been the WORST ever and I can’t seem to pull myself out of the dark hole that feels like it is swallowing me up. I gave up on everything that means anything to me or that gave me joy and peace. I turned away from GOD when I needed him the most, but through my Faith Family and Friends I know I am not ALONE and never will be again. I am at a turning point in my life and I am hurting and lost. I am seeking some professional help, but I know that the BEST medicine is PRAYER and I am doing that every day. I am Strong enough to admit I need help……..I am not sure why this is happening to me right now, but I know there is a reason that will be revealed to me in HIS time and not my own. For now I am taking One MOMENT at a time and ONE step at a time. You have been a huge support to me and I love you for that Steph. I love you and I will be seeing you soon my friend.

    • Hi Denise,I suffer with depression and anxiety as well.I call it the unwelcome guest.It shows up unannounced.And lingers around as long as it wants to.I just came out of a very dark hole.I don’t know if you know Pastor Rick Warren from Saddleback church in Cal.Anyhow he recently had a one day conference on Mental Heath.He lost his son last year who decided to take his own life.Pastor Rick is attempting to bring awareness to the churches on Mental Health issues.Which by the way I am as thrilled about.You can actually watch the conference on line.The gathering,mentalhealthandthechurch,com.God bless.

      • Thanks so much Kathleen. I have heard of him and will definitely look for that online. I agree Mental health issues need to be talked about more in churches. My Unwelcome guests have been haunting me for about 6 weeks and I am not sure what brought it all on, but I know I will make my way out if the whole once again with some counseling ,meds and prayer. Thanks for sharing your story. I know there are many more of us out there suffering through this too. God Bless and I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts.

        • Your welcome Denise.Thank you for your prayers as I will keep you in my prayers as well.Depression and anxiety has been my companions my whole life.I am here if you need me.God bless you Denise.

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