The Apparent Absence of God

"If God is silent, there is a reason. Because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation."  - Oswald Chambers, early-twentieth-century Scottish Baptist evangelist and teacher (1874-1917)

What believer hasn't experienced God's silence at one time or another, especially during a time of trouble? Without question, it can be a very unsettling experience. But as will be seen, the Bible offers perspective and encouragement regarding this experience.

Scripture confirms that God going silent is not an indication of his absence, instead it is an opportunity for deeper trust, patience, and reflection on His character. Let's first consider the lived experiences of some biblical figures who endured this.

• David, given that he was described as "a man after God's own heart," cried wretchedly to God in his feelings of abandonment.
• Job, after a period of immense struggle, sought clarity from God, who kept quiet for a considerable time.
• The span of silence between the Old and New Testament lasted about 400 years without any new prophetic messages. 
• Even Jesus himself experienced the agony of God's silence on the cross.

Do these incidents prove that God shuns, rejects, or ignores the supplications of those who pray to Him in their darkest hour? Of course not! We can learn several lessons from God's silence if we pay close attention.

 

For example, it can teach us patience and the significance of waiting for God's perfect timing (Isaiah 40:31; Psalm 40:1-2). Silence can be a request to be still and grow in intimacy with God (Psalm 62:5; Habakkuk 2:20).

Additionally, these periods of stillness can strengthen faith by encouraging dependence on God's known character and past faithfulness in lieu of immediate feelings (Hebrews 13:5; Romans 8:38-39).

In Silence, a novel by Shūsaku Endō, a character confronts the apparent silence of God during intense persecution. Near the end of his suffering, he hears a voice respond, "I was not silent. I suffered beside you."

While God's silence can be deeply worrying, we can find comfort in bible verses such as Hebrews 13: 5 and Matthew 28:20, which promise that God is always with us. Psalm 62:5 inspires waiting in silence, and to remember that God's ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).

So, how can you react to the times when God is silent? You can:

• Continue to pray and vocalize your burdens to God.
• Hold fast to God's Word for truth and guidance.
• Call to mind God's past faithfulness in your life.
• Worship to focus on God's supremacy.
• Trust in God's perfect timing and submit to His will.

Questions for Personal Reflection and Application:

1. When have you experienced a time when God seemed silent in your life?
2. How did that silence affect your faith, and what did you learn from it?
3. What is a question you have for God, and how can you prepare to honestly bring that question to Him?

Scripture: Joshua 1:9; Job 30:30; Psalm 22:1-2; Psalm 93:1; Isaiah 40:28

Prayer: "Dear God, I confess that my heart grows restless, and my mind becomes weary when answers don't come quickly. Please forgive my doubt, fear, and anxiety, and strengthen my belief. Amen."

In God's name,

Amy