It is discouraging when God goes silent during difficult times, but what do you need to do when He is silent? God can go silent on you for different reasons. However, this does not mean that He has rejected you. In fact, He says in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has good plans for you. And, the silence may just be one of His ways of executing His good plans in your life. So, what do you need to do when God is silent? How can you stay strong when God is silent?
1. Be Still
Psalms 46:10 (NIV) – “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.””
When God is silent, He is working to bring the best to your life. His silence does not mean that He does not care about your situations. In fact, He cares more than anyone else. When you notice that God is silent, sometimes all you need to do is to be still. Staying calm in the midst of life’s struggles and challenges can do you greater things than you could ever think of.
You are better positioned to hear the gentle voice of the Lord when you are calm. The truth is, sometimes we think that God is silent when He is constantly talking to us. This happens when we surround ourselves with noisemakers, and when we become noisemakers. Our noises and the noises around us prevent us from hearing the voice of the Lord. Try and be still, and you will be amazed at how much God will do in your life. He will exalt Himself in your difficulties, and manifest Himself as the faithful God that He is.
2. Trust in God
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
When God seems silent in your suffering, raise the bar of your faith in Him. There is no number of the good things that God does to those who trust in Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 mentions one of the things that He does; He makes straight the paths of those who trust in Him. Isaiah 40:31 says that He renews the strength of those who put their trust in Him. Jeremiah 17:7-8 mentions that He refreshes and waters those who trust Him so that they can bear fruit even in the dry season.
Therefore, when you feel like God is silent to your prayers and pleas, put your trust even more. It is natural to feel like He is not concerned about what you are going through. But, it is powerful when you choose to trust His ways during this time.
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
God’s ways may seem unclear to us. They may not be understandable to us. But, when we trust His doing, He will eventually do something great for us. Trust His process, His plans, and His ways even when He seems silent.
3. Don’t Stop Praying
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV) – “Pray continually.”
Many of us stop praying when we feel like God is not answering our prayers. Do you remember the story of the friend at midnight? The friend kept knocking until the owner of the house opened the door. We too need to be persistent in prayer regardless of how long God takes to respond. We should not be the type of Christians who easily give up on God. Our prayer life must be consistent in every season.
4. Repent
Isaiah 59:1-2 (NIV) – “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that he will not hear.”
The Bible states that our sins can make God go silent on us. Our wrong doings can make God silent when we do not repent. It happens the same way when you do something bad to your friend and they decide not to pick your calls or reply to your messages. However, when we go to them and apologize, we renew our friendship with them. Likewise, God gets angry with us when we sin. And, He ignores our voices when we call out on Him. But, when we go to Him with repentant hearts, He renews our relationship with Him. Therefore, anytime you feel like God is not answering your prayers, repent of any sins you may have committed.
5. Be Patient
Romans 8:18 (NIV) – “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
God’s silence may come as a test of our patience in Him. Can you persevere during hard times? Are you patient with God even when He is silent? When you remain patient during the period of God’s silence, He will reveal His glory in your life.
Romans 12:12 (NIV) – “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
You need to persevere through every circumstance that comes your way. Remember, good things come to those who are patient; to those who do not give up. Maybe God is planning to speak to you the next minute from now, or the next hour. So, don’t give up. Instead, wait on Him patiently. Wait on His voice with perseverance and endurance. He will not let your patience in Him go in vain.
