The Silence of the Lord

Psalm ten begins with the words, “Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” It seems to be an age old question among those who follow the Lord. Why does it seem that during the most challenging seasons of our lives, God’s presence and voice can be so elusive?

After all there are numerous promises throughout the Word that God is faithful to those who seek him. If we back up one chapter to Psalm nine we find the words, “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord have never forsaken those who seek you.” The Word states that God has never forsaken anyone who has sought him. That’s a serious track record covering generations and generations of God seekers.

Recently I had a question about a product that I bought from a fairly reputable company, but my phone calls and emails were not answered or returned. The company that promised great customer service went silent on me. I was frustrated and disappointed that no one from this organization was willing to take the time to communicate with one of their customers. I felt unimportant, knowing that if I had more influence I would probably have had my questions answered and my needs taken care of.

It’s easy for the lies of the enemy to feel true when God is silent. When we are anxious, frustrated or worried the enemy finds an opportunity to tell us that God is silent because he doesn’t really care, or he’s too busy, or we aren’t important enough. Maybe if we were more holy, prayed more, or were more obedient we would have more influence and God would respond to our cries.

The truth is we never come to God on our own merits. We come in the name and position of Jesus Christ. No one has more influence with God than Jesus. Jesus alone has the privilege of entering into the presence of God and through him we have been given this privilege as well. The reason that God is silent has nothing to do with our value, our position, or how much we are loved. There are times when God is silent because we have unconfessed sin, but if we have repented of sin and God is still silent, there is a reason. God has not abandoned us or forsaken us. God is waiting on us.
That’s right, God is waiting to see how we will respond to his silence.
Will we panic as the disciples did on the boat that endured the storm? Will we confidently trust that he knows and cares about our situation? Will we run to another source of comfort? Will we wait on him, right back? In our society we are accustomed to information on demand, but God works a different way. He allows us to wait. Faith is fashioned in the crucible of waiting. Everything within our immature flesh cries out, “But I want it NOW!” We justify and rationalize why we need answers and direction now.
God is not moved by the urgency of our need. God is moved by faith. God responds to the confident follower who spends time at the footsteps of God knowing that there is no other answer. When challenged by Jesus if he wanted to desert with other disciples, Peter responded, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Do you believe and know today that Jesus is the Holy One of God? Do you believe and know that you are loved by God and that he cares about your present situation? Do you believe and know that only God has the words of eternal life? Then patiently wait at his feet, seeking his presence and displaying new levels of faith. God will not be silent for long, your willingness to wait on him, will move him to respond to you. After all, his word promising that he will not forsake those who seek him must remain true.

Paul Keeler