When God Seems Silent

God answers prayers. But sometimes, God is silent.

We’ve all been there or will be. We may earnestly see God, but, in return, we may only sense His silence. This silence can be difficult, and frustrating, especially when we think we need an answer “right now!”

In the Book of Job, it talks about an account of a man who was well acquainted with God’s silence. In Job’s pain and suffering, he cried out to God. He asked for answers and kept asking.

I can relate to Job’s circumstances because I cried out to God so many times growing up, but all I got was silence. The didifference was that I thought God hated me. And it sent me down a path of despair and depression. I didn’t know God was making me stronger. I thought He was trying to kill me. Thankfully I’ve learned a few things since then.

The first 37 chapter of Job’s account, he cried for God’s help and relief and was met only by God’s deafening silence.

As believers, we are not always going to hear God’s voice, but from Job, we can learn a few things to do when God seems silent.

  1. Examine Your Life

Begin by asking yourself, if you have any unconfessed sin in your life. Make sure nothing is blocking you from being able to hear God’s voice.

Psalm 66:18 saysm

“If I cherish sin in my heart. The Lord wouldn’t have listened.”

Ask yourself if there is anything or anyone you love more than God.

As God brings things to mind, ask for forgiveness.

There is no shame in repentance. This is an act of faith and pleases God which restores our fellowship with Him.

2. Accept God’s Authority

Recognize that God can be silent. There is no obligation for God to answer us, inform us or let us know anything.

.A.W. Tozer said, ‘The knowledge of the Holy,” because no one and no thing can hinder Him or compel Him or stop Him. He is able to do ad He pleases always, everywhere, forever.”

Like us, Job faced the choice of acknowledging or rejecting the authority of God. In response to his suffering and loss, Job’s wife suggested he curse God and die.

Instead of following her advice, Job chose to let God be God. Job said in verse 2:10,

“Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?”

Accepting God’s authority also means actively trusting God, realizing He is in control and can be trusted.

In Job 13:15 Job says,

“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” (ESV).

Nothing in Job’s life, or ours, happens apart from God’s knowledge and plan. As we learn at the beginning of Job, God was fully aware of all the things that were about to happen to Job. In fact, He gave satan permission to do these things in Job‘s life. At no point does God release His control.

3. Listen To What God Is saying

Although God may seem silent regarding a specific request, remember that He is in a constant state of communication with us.

Even though I coped an attitude with God and went and did some idiotic things. If I would have left my mind and heart open, maybe my life would have gone a little differently. It is possible that I would have heard what God was saying.

The Bible is full of specific answers from God about what is right or wrong, as well as information about God’s intention for us as His children.

Don’t forget to dig into God’s Word, it is Hid communication to us. We can find out what He had to say about the problems we face or the questions we need answered.

Remember to ask God to speak to you through the Holy Spirit who lives inside of you. Often scripture can have new significance in light of the current problems you are facing.

4. Recognize That Silence Can Be Intimate

Silence can be a sign of God’s trust in you.

The Book of John tells of an account about Jesus’s friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. When Jesus found out Lazarus was sick, rather than rush to Lazarus’s house to heal him, he stayed where he was for two more days, and before Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus died (John 11:6).

To Lazarus’s sisters, Mary and Martha, Jesus’s silence could have been interpreted as neglect -that Jesus did not care about or want to help them.

This mirrors many of the emotions we feel when God does not immediately answer our cries for help.

In Jesus’s silence we as well as Mary and Martha, are drawn into a new closeness to God and understanding of His power.

It wasn’t until God saved my life through a horrible situation I got myself into that I realized there was something to God’s power and that He had been silent for years, but He was protecting me from myself all along.

When we can’t hear God, we sometimes find that He trusts us all along in the most intimate way possible.

I imagine He was saying to me all along “Girl don’t go that way it will lead you to a dangerous situation, but I will protect you no matter what, while you are learning.”

For Job, God’s silence was a result of the depth of their relationship.

What I’ve learned from all the situations and mistakes I’ve made is to never stop talking to God.

God is in control and has been all along. He heard Job’s cries for help. He hears us too. He just waits for the perfect time to speak.

What Could I Do More Of

What could you do more of?

I could definitely do more road trips. But, with the economy the way it is right now. It is so expensive. I feel the costs are not doable.

I don’t like being gouged for close to $300 a night for a hotel room for one night. And with nights getting colder it’s not possible to just go pitch a tent somewhere.

Will God Destroy Evil?

Many people ask why God doesn’t destroy evil in the world. But God could not destroy evil without destroying freedom. And if God destroyed freedom, God would destroy love. And if God destroyed love, God would destroy the highest good. If we’re not free to choose good, then we’re not free. So, there must be the ability to choose evil.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” -Romans 8:18-21

Since people have the ability to choose evil, what is God going to do about it? What is God going to do about suffering? God is not going to destroy it. God is going to defeat it.

There were two gardens. There was the Garden of Eden with the first Adam, and there was the Garden of Gethsemane with the second Adam. The Lord Jesus, the very Son of God, took sin on Himself and carried it to the cross and died for it. In the act, God has defeated evil so we can be restored to Him. And in this, He had shown us the greatest love.

God is the only one who can defeat evil. It’s not about feelings, money, drugs, or sex it’s about love – the love of God.

Best Piece Of Advice I Received

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The best piece of advice I was given was from an old native American. I was still suffering mentally from the effects of what my mother had done to me. That day was particularly difficult. Because of everything I was doing, I could hear her negative voice in my head repeating things she had told me as a child.

As I was speaking to about the severe pain on the side of my head. Thinking she would have an old type of treatment for me. She told me, “You know, you don’t have to carry the sins of your mother.”

Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. Because it was something I was doing and didn’t even realize it. Every time I heard my mother’s words, I would go into to shut down mode or have physical pain.

It wasn’t until later I read this in Deuteronomy 24:16,

“Parents are not to be put to death for their children, not children put to death for their parents each will die for their own sin.”

I was destroying myself because I thought I had to suffer because of what my mother, did and said to me, because she thought I was a failure then I thought I was

Tell Your Flesh To Shut Up

“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” – Romans 6:11

Left unchecked your flesh will try to run you over, take charge of your emotions, and promote laziness in your life. It will tell you that you’ve done too much, that you’ve already done more than anyone else, that you don’t need to do more than you’ve already done, and that you’re not as appreciated as you ought to be. Your flesh will advise you to kick back take it easy, and cut yourself some slack. It will scream that if anyone deserves to do nothing, it’s you.

Our flesh always tries to take everything to an extreme. If we allow it to control us, it will take us into a state of laziness that estates our entire outlook and destroys our productivity. We can lose joy, hope, victory, and even our reason for living. In the end, we will become weak, powerless, and void of the desire or energy to pursue anything, let alone the things God had for your life.

When our flesh rises and tempts us to be slothful about our dreams, our goals in life, or our relationship with God.

What should we do, when our flesh coaxes in into believing we are too poor, to stupid, too ugly, or too uninteresting, or too ‘run of the mill” to be used by God, how should we respond.

Do we cry and complain that we’re just not as talented as others? Should we grieve because we’re not as skinny as someone else? Should we whimper that we weren’t born into a more prestigious family? Of that, we were able to finish our education.

It’s time to tell our flesh to shut its loud mouth! Then grab hold of the power of God to change the way we think. As long as we allow that rank, stinking flesh to produce a “poor pitiful me” mentality, we will not make any significant contributions to the world. And that’s a pity because God wants to use you.

Instead of letting your flesh rule you, it time for you to do what Paul said in Romans 6:11,

“Likewise reckon yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The one factor that does impact God’s ability to use us is our own disobedience to Him. Our hearts must be willing. We must take authority over the flesh that would take us down a lazy path. And we must yield our bodies to God’s Spirit as an instrument of righteousness.

That’s when we find ourselves on the path that leads us to being used by God.

The Top Ten Moral Values Everyone Should Learn

We live in a world where people are lacking in moral values. I don’t know where we have lost our way. But it is destroying us as a nation.

Individualism is important, but morals help us interact properly and can keep families and societies together.

Moral values are the standards of good and evil, which govern a person’s behavior and choices. They help us decide what is right and wrong, and motivate us to do the right thing.

Most people believe that moral values are learned. It’s something that we acquire through our experiences and interactions with others. We also learn about moral values through the media. If you’ve turned on the television you will see some pretty awful morals being displayed.

Moral Values All People Should Learn

  1. Honesty

Honesty is one of the most important moral values. It means being truthful and fair in all your dealings with other people. Honesty includes being willing to admit when you have made a mistake. Failure to own up to a mistake may end up costing someone else.

Sadly I find people on a regular basis that lie and then have no conviction of how wrong it is. We can see this on a daily basis, yet nothing is done about it.

If I had lied to my parents I would have had my mouth washed out with soap.

2. Respect

Treating other people with courtesy and consideration. Including respecting their property, their privacy, and their views and beliefs. When you respect someone, you treat them with dignity and consideration. You also avoid doing anything that might hurt or offend them.

We have lost this trait, I think mainly because of social media, things people say are attacked because they are not standing face to face. They dare to disrespect someone. Attacking a person’s views and beliefs.

Sadly now it is seeping through our society. People don’t think twice about stealing or trying to scam you. It is true that “the root of all evil is money.”

We see this at government levels are well as in regular society.

3. Responsibility

Being responsible me and being reliable and dependable including being accountable for our actions and taking responsibility for our mistakes.

When we are responsible, we can be counted on to do what we say we will do. Being careful in our dealings with other people not to cause them any harm.

I run into people every day who say they are going to do something and then fail to do it. So much so that I lose confidence in them. I take their words as just words and no action.

4. Caring

Caring means showing kindness and concern for others. Including being helpful and considerate. When you care for someone, you want what’s best for them.

Caring also means being empathetic, and being able to understand and share the feelings of another person. Putting yourself in their shoes.

Opening the door or holding the door open for someone who is struggling or has their hands full. Or simply just listening to someone who is going through a tough time.

5. Cooperation

Cooperation means working together to achieve a common goal. Including willingness to compromise and put aside your differences to help others.

When you cooperate with someone you are willing to work with them instead of against them. You are also willing to make sacrifices for the greater good. Cooperation means solving problems without resorting to violence or tearing anothers reputation.

There’s a quote I like that Patrick Henry gave in March of 1799 that still stands true today. “Let us trust God, and our better judgment to set us right hereafter. United we stand, divided we fall.”

6. Fairness

Fairness means treating people equally and justly. It includes being impartial and not showing favoritism. When we are fair, we give everyone a chance to succeed.

Sadly we do not see this even among government officials, judges, lawyers, and even police officers. There is a saying that goes “Follow the money,” The truth is that some will set aside their morals for the right amount of money.

7. Courage

Courage is the ability to do something even though you are afraid. It includes standing up for what you believe in and not backing down even when the odds are against you.

Being brave does not mean you are fearless. It means you can face your fears and do what is right, even when you’re afraid.

8. Work Ethic

A strong work ethic is something we’ve lost. It’s a willingness to work hard and do our best. It includes being punctual, responsible, and reliable.

Today no one wants to work, it comes from a feeling of entitlement. Thinking society owe people something. A sense of entitlement. A belief that one person deserves privileges or recognition from things they didn’t earn.

The truth is the country, world, life doesn’t owe them anything unless you work for it.

All hard work brings profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. I think we need to relearn this in society.

9. Integrity

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having moral principles. It’s doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

Integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge.

Autumn’s beauty carries more gold in its pocket than all other seasons.

Where Do I Draw Energy From

What things give you energy?

I draw energy from knowing I can make choices that please God. I always strive to please God. There is an old phrase that sums up my energy-getter. It was “What would Jesus do?” When I am feeling drained I ask myself this question.

If you cannot tell from the photos I share here, I am a huge nature lover. There is no better energy booster than praising and worshipping God in the middle of nowhere, when no one is around for miles. It is a huge energy booster for me. These things renew me each day and give me the energy to face another day.

All-Time Favorite Album

What’s your all-time favorite album?

My favorite song writer of all time is Tanya Tucker. I don’t think she ever put out a country song I didn’t like. So naturally I love all her albums. But my favorite is her album called “self-titled.”

Embracing Conviction

There is a lot power in understanding the difference between conviction and guilt, and knowing the difference will save a lot of heartache.

Wouldn’t life be far more peaceful if we weren’t living in the shame of past mistakes and bad choices?

Guilt and conviction feel very similar, it’s tough sometimes to know which one we are feeling. And until we understand the difference, we’re doomed to live in a pit of hopelessness and despair.

While, the lies and guilt will still get into our heads, understanding the difference will prevent the lies from finding their ways into our hearts.

Guilt equals shame and condemnation that comes from satan and brings a feeling of hopelessness that doesn’t offer correction or a way out.

Conviction comes through the Holy Spirit which points to an action or mindset and brings hope that offers correction and a way out.

Guilt involves our feelings and the truth is the feelings aren’t facts. But it can sure feel like it at times.

Because conviction and guilt feel so similar, Satan uses that knowledge to sabotage us to create self-doubt, self-loathing, and uncertainty.

With very little effort, Satan makes us believe that we have to sit in the shame of what we’ve done, often making us feel as if we owe it to God to never move on,

Satan and his minions get into the cracks we’ve left open and tell us there’s no way God could ever love us after the choices we’ve made.

Since Satan is so crafty at planting these lies in our heads, we need godly wisdom to understand where these thoughts are coming from.

Understanding this completely takes away the power satan has over us.

Conviction is defined as the feeling of being convinced of a wrongdoing or a sin.

Because Satan is so good at what he does, we’ve been led to believe that conviction isn’t good, thankfully that couldn’t been farther from the truth.

Conviction is the first step to forgiving ourselves.

When we intentions choose to walk closer to God, He will give us the direction and correction we need. He will convict us, and He will never use guilt to do it.

How Satan Uses Guilt

The number one goal of satan is to make us feel alone, hopeless and worthless.

Satan knows how powerful God is and how powerful we are with God on our side, so he will use every possible tactic to bring us down and separate us from God.

Satan generates a blanketing, choking sense of general guilt as if everything is wrong and there is no action we can really take to overcome. Often a sense of complete hopelessness and weakness prevails. We cannot see a light at the end of the tunnel. Which causes us to feel helpless and depressed.

Guilt and condemnation are tactics used to make us feel that it’s too late for us to make things right with God.

How The Holy Spirit Uses Conviction

The Holy Spirit uses conviction to get our attention.

He uses conviction to help us draw closer to God, to lean into Him and ask for forgiveness so that we are free to carry out our ultimate calling. We are then free to enjoy the life He created us for.

He uses conviction to shape and mold us into living righteously and to be a blessing to others.

Living in guilt and shame can send us down a slippery slope, and it isn’t long before we can become consumed by our pain.

If you find yourself turning away from God and putting up walks to hide your shame, then what you’re feeling is guilt.

God never shames you!

Topics I Would Like To Be More Informed About

Which topics would you like to be more informed about?

I would love to know about how to understand human behavior. I would love to understand how the brain affects our behaviors. I have always been interested in Psychology.

Knowing why we behave in certain ways, and how do our experiences affect our brains to make us act in certain ways.

Why Is God Sometimes Slow To Answer?

Have you ever prayed for something and God is slow to answer.

While I know God is in control and has His reasons for delays, it is challenging to face those delays. I have come to learn the delays do not mean denial.

Psalm 46:10 says,

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

If we allow Him to work His will in our lives, He will. While the delay may be frustrating or confusing, it’s important to know that God is at work behind the scenes to accomplish His will. We may not see His hand at work, but we can trust He is.

We may not be ready for the answer just yet but God is working to make sure we are ready when it comes.

I was never so aware of this when I had my knee replacement. I prayed and prayed about which surgeon to go to. And the closer it came I more uneasy I felt, but I just ignored the feeling and went to a surgeon that I had trusted in the past. Little did I know it wasn’t about the surgeon it was about the surgery.

Had I listened to my uneasy feeling, instead of rushing with the surgery. I would have never got it done. God was telling me to wait. I didn’t and today I am facing the consequences of my choice. The rehab has been awful and the pain and nerve damage I endure is brutal.

If God isn’t answering you fast enough to your liking, he might be protecting you from something harmful. He knows everything about everything. People, places, things at all times. We just have to “be still and know He is God.”

God’s timing is always perfect. He is fully in control of all things at all times.

God might delay the answer to grow our faith. I can almost hear Him saying “Just trust me.” Out faith, our character and our understanding of God can grow dramatically when we learn to trust Him in the delays.

I was praying and meditating on God’s Word the other day, and I heard “It’s not your believing that’s the problem, it’s your trusting in me that’s the problem.”

Perhaps God’s delay is His way of redirecting us. We may be praying in one direction and He wants you to pray in a different direction. H might be saying “No” this is not My will, or timing.

God has reasons for His delays. We just need to trust Him because He loves us and wants what best for us.

When we steamboat ahead to do what we want, we may have to pay the consequences for our actions.

“You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choice.”

Life Without Music

What would your life be like without music?

What would my life be without music? I have relied on music to get me through some tough situations in life.

Without music, it would be harder to deal with stress, anxiety, or when I’m feeling a little sad. The simple joy of singing would be gone. But I’m sure people would not like me to sing, I cannot hold a tune for anything.

I would feel totally empty. Music can bring on a whole range of emotions. When I’m missing my father, I can listen to the music he enjoyed and I feel a little closer to him. Music has the ability to fix my mood.