What do you do when God seems silent? It’s going to happen. You are going to pray and sometimes He will seem to be strangely distant. When He does not seem to answer, what do you do? What we do in these moments helps inform our belief. It can help provide clarity and direction to deepen our faith.
When God seems silent, you are called to go forward in faith. You are to continue to do the things that please God. You may, at times, become frustrated with God’s seeming silence, but you do not turn your back on Him. Verse six from 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 shows that you can be “confident” that God is working things out for you as one who belongs to Him. He is answering you, but you cannot see the answer yet. Why can’t you see the answer? There are a number of reasons why the answer may be hard to see.
First, the answer could be NO. God could be denying your request because it is not in line with His will, His way, His glory, or your good. We need to be ready to receive a “no.” It is never an easy word to hear as it stands in direct contradiction to the ways of the world around us. The world says, “do whatever makes you happy.” However, Jesus’ ultimate interest is your best interest in the pursuit of making Him known. Sometimes that will require telling us no. Just as a good parent may tell their child no to guard them against what they cannot see… so does our heavenly Father.
Second, there could be sin in your life that is preventing you from seeing God’s answer. When God seems silent, it is good to take an inventory of your life. Are you involved in things that are hurting your conversation with God? Sin is a real and present problem in most of our lives. I am often taken back by how easy it is to avoid or ignore sin for so many of us. But I am equally taken back when I suggest as much and people take offense. This is a natural consequence of sin. So it is relatively safe to say we should ask ourselves this question when we feel God has gone dark in our lives. Allow him to remove that sin from your life and see if it is a catalyst to your relationship.
Third, the answer could be coming, but in God’s time not yours. God is not a vending machine. He acts in His own time and His own way. He acts for our best interests. We see that in Romans 8:28. When you don’t get a response keep plodding in faith. It is intriguing to do a study on waiting in scripture. Read all the times God’s people ask something of Him and study his response, their response, and the final outcomes. We can learn a lot with just a little digging. Get out there and find that treasure for yourself today.
Take a few minutes to pray today. Thank God for having your best interests at heart. Thank Him for answering prayer. Ask Him to help you to focus on pleasing Him, even when you don’t get immediate answers.