Encouragement for When God Seems Silent
Are there times when you feel like your prayers are going no farther than the ceiling of your house? Do you ask for guidance but remain lost? Do you seek for answers only to remain ignorant and confused? I feel like this sometimes.
Many of us have felt as if God were silent, not answering our questions or knowing our desires; not changing our circumstances or calming our hearts.
But I want to encourage you that God not only hears every one of our prayers but answers them as well. All of them.
Our Prayers are sometimes answered in ordinary ways.
God often answers our prayers and desires without us noticing it. He gives us our daily bread, keeps us safe throughout the day, gives every breath we breath and fills our life with beautiful moments that we often take for granted.
Our Prayers are sometimes answered invisibly.
Sometimes God answers our prayers in ways we cannot see with our eyes. He is always working and orchestrating all things. He never sleeps and never looks away even for a moment. So though we may not feel like God is answering our prayers in the way that we would like him to, we can have full confidence that God is doing something, and this somethings is always good and always for his glory.
Our Prayers are sometimes answered negatively.
“We may ask God to lift away our burdens. But to do this would rob us of blessings which can come to us only through the bearing of the burden; and our Father loves us too well to give us present ease—at the cost of future and eternal good.” -J.R. Miller
Jesus asked for deliverance in the garden of Gethsemane (Lk 22:42) but God said “no”. His plan is one of greatness but sometimes it means we must go through trials to get there. Sometimes God’s answer for deliverance is “no”. But cling to the truth that that hardship is a way to strengthen our faith and what was meant for evil God will use for good.
We long and desire. We pray and wait but we must believe that God knows best.
Our Prayers are always answered in Christ.
Grant me healing! Overcome my unbelief! Conquer my sin! Restore to me the joy of salvation! Be glorified in me and my family! Give us peace!
All of this is answered in Jesus Christ. If we do not experience it on earth, we are guaranteed to experience it in heaven. This is possible because Christ walked a hard and dark path for us.
There are seasons of life where you may feel like you have entered a labyrinth, and the more you try to find your way out, the more dark and confusing it appears.
But in all of life’s affairs, God is seeing and hearing you. He is guiding, untangling and straightening out life’s winding paths for you, and this path will lead you into the presence of Christ and the arms of your Father.
Blessings,
Jen
