By Cory Graham

Sometimes when we speak or pray to God we can be met with silence. That can be an extremely frustrating experience especially during times when we are wading through troubled waters and are in desperate need of the Lord’s hand in our life. There are only a few times in my life that I felt what I believed to be a tangible response from God. Although we can be overcome with delight at the moments we do receive an answer or a sign, we often take those exciting times for granted and become upset when God does not speak to us. We become blind to the fact that there is a reason God is not answering our call.

You are in good company when it comes to the Lord’s silence. In 1979 Mother Teresa wrote to a reverend friend that “As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.” It was only recently, in newly published letters, that we found she suffered divine silence for decades until her death in 1997.

Even Thomas, who witnessed the miracles of Jesus first hand, refused to believe he had risen from the dead unless he saw it with his own eyes. Once Thomas saw Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) Think about that. Jesus when he speaks isn’t just speaking to Thomas, he is speaking to all of us. Everything Jesus says, there is a reason. He knows we are going to need His words 2000 years later. He is saying that you are blessed because you believe without seeing hearing or feeling the presence of God.

Jesus Christ himself, we can imagine him on his knees among the rocks in the Garden of Gethsemane, his soul “exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.” (Matt 26:38) asking the Father to “Take this cup away from me.” (Luke 22:42). Jesus asks the question three times and each time he is met with silence.

  Did Jesus stop participating in the work the Lord gave him to do and walk away? Did he stay there in the garden rolling around fearful on the ground not knowing what to do? Did he punch at the silent air in anger? No, he stood up and continued the work. The work that led him to crucifixion!

  When God does not answer you or you find yourself in silence or feel as though you are not in the presence of the Lord, remember that the silence itself is God answering you. 

Sometimes God has already told us what to do. He has given us countless signs and edifications but since our hearts are hard we either don’t see, won’t listen or do not want to hear it because it doesn’t feel good. That can be a time when God goes silent. Try this, look back to the last time God spoke to you and ask yourself if you followed through with his message? Did you look deep enough into his words to you and apply them appropriately into your life? While asking these questions look upon the glory of the sun or the shining moon in the night or the cold clear rivers or the white mountains and see that you are in the presence of God’s great creation. That includes you, a greater creation than all those beautiful things balled into one. After you do all of that remember what the Lord said to Joshua “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9). The Lord did not lie and neither did Jesus when he said you are blessed for believing with out seeing feeling or hearing. Especially blessed.

Prayer:

Father in heaven I know that even your son Jesus sometimes did not get the answer he wanted. I know that Jesus shed his blood for the salvation of my soul. I know that I am blessed for believing in the Son and asking him into my heart without having seen. I know Lord you are always with me and I will go out into the world today with courage. In Jesus name I pray amen.