When God is silent: Is HE

When God is silent: Is HE?

I went through a season in my late 30’s where from my perspective God was silent. I cried out, “God why have you stopped speaking to me?” God did answer that cry, “Because you don’t DO anything with it, it stops at you.” And again silence for many years.

I remember later that God’s Word never returns void, but accomplishes all that He intends for it to do. (Isaiah 55:11) God will not waste a breath or hold us accountable for things he knows we cannot yet understand. God’s silence can be an act of mercy. But still, even in the darkest days of humanity God has been speaking, cheering us on toward the prize, we as humans were just tuning him out.

God’s very first communion with creation was the act of breathing life into Adam. ( Genesis 2:7) We are designed to live on every word that comes from God. (Matthew 4:4) So how am I sure I am hearing God’s voice?

When the Prophet Ellijah needed confirmation that he was hearing God’s call he went and hid in a cave. He waited, he knew God was not speaking from the violent wind, earthquake or fire, he only left the cave to hear from God when he heard the gentle breeze. (1 Kings 19:11-13) We know it is God speaking when the peace falls over us beyond our understanding.

But like those in the days Jesus walked the Earth, I am looking for Jesus to appear as a mighty warrior, vanquishing my enemies. Instead he comes: gentle and lowly, mounted on a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

Could it be that God is giving me more guidance and information than I could ever use? Could it be that the Words I have already received are laying idle on my to do list? In what circumstances do you find yourself longing for a word from God today? How can we better tune our ears and hearts to hear the gentle breeze that is our Savior calling?