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Trusting God in Tough Times: When God Seems Silent

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It’s inevitable. Tough times will come along during our lives. A pastor friend once told me something along these lines: “You’re either coming out of a time of struggle, in the midst of a difficult time, or heading toward a challenging time.” The Christian life (or any life) is not always a bed of roses—and the Bible doesn’t promise us a life free from trouble. This week, let’s take a Scriptural look at trusting God through difficult circumstances.

 

When God Seems Silent

“Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” 

Psalm 22:2-3, NLT

Prayer_Statue_WEDNESDAYI have experienced seasons in life when I felt like God was completely silent. I poured my heart out in prayer to God and nothing happened. I struggled to feel God’s presence, even though I clung to His promises to never leave me. There have been other times when I felt intimately close to God, like He was sitting right next to me.

How do we explain those times when God is seemingly silent? What happens when our prayers appear to go unheard or unanswered?

Yesterday, we talked about how God’s ways are different from our ways. This is one of those instances where we can’t read God’s mind. We may need to accept a season when we’re not hearing God as clearly as we have in the past. Through His silence, He may ask us to wait on His timing. Waiting can be very challenging, though, especially if we focus on our own plans and timetable.

Waiting is difficult, but it always has a purpose. Waiting has taught me to rely on God more fully. In some cases, my faith is stronger because some desires weren’t immediately fulfilled. I didn’t hear God for a time, but I didn’t give up on Him. We can learn to depend on God to give us peace and trust Him to bring good things, even if those things look different from what we expected.

In times of silence, it’s important not to become impatient and take matters into own our hands. I’ve made big mistakes when I chose to act rashly because I was tired of waiting on God to give me direction.

In the Bible, David sought God and had an intimate relationship with Him. Even though David made mistakes and sinned, He always ran back to God seeking forgiveness and restoration. Even considering David’s close relationship with God, he still experienced many instances of God’s silence (Psalm 109:1, Psalm 28:1, Psalm 83:1). Through it all, David praised the name of God and remembered His holiness. And God didn’t abandon or forsake David. In God’s own timing, He revealed His plans for David’s life.

Learning to trust God even when He is silent can be a huge step in our faith journey. And when we see the outcome, we can give all the credit to God:

“Let them see that this is your doing, that you yourself have done it, Lord.” Psalm 109:27, NLT

Learning to trust more fully,

Allison

Questions: Why are you afraid?

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Whether talking with the disciples, speaking in a public forum, or defending Himself before His enemies, Jesus consistently asked questions.  In the four gospels, Jesus asked over 300 questions.

 

Why are you afraid?

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.  And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

Matthew 8:23-37

friday_57595743_SFear. It’s something I wish I could say that I rarely feel since becoming a believer.  But even though I professionally counsel many who struggle with fear and anxiety, I can’t deny my own battle with it as well.

I know that because we live in a fallen world, we will always feel a measure of fear. In fact, God designed our brains to detect danger and to feel fear in order to prompt us to take action. A portion of our brain is constantly scanning our environment to detect threats. If this automatic and reactive region of the brain decides that something poses a threat, then a signal is sent to get our mind and body ready for whatever may be looming in our midst. Adrenaline pumps, hearts race, hands sweat, and stomachs lurch. hands are sweating and our stomach feels awful. We can’t always prevent this rapid surge from happening; it is naturally associated with dangerous situations.

The most advanced and rational region of our brain, the cortex, has the opportunity to either fuel or override the fear. Our knowledge of who God is, our memories of Scripture and our past experiences all play an enormous role in how the cortex will handle what we are experiencing, both externally and internally.

If we choose to trust God for wisdom, discernment, direction and leading, even if our lives are truly in danger, we can still experience a powerful peace amidst the storm. If we look at the situation and refuse to place our trust in God’s providence, His love, and His guidance, we can quickly go into panic mode.

I think this is what Jesus detected in this scene on the water. The storm would have been viewed as a threat to anyone, simply based on the way that we are created. But, once they assessed the situation—yet refused to trust that Jesus, who was right there with them, was in control—they moved from instinctive fear to panicky fear. Instead of believing in Jesus’ power, the gravity of their situation led them to doubt both His position and His passion for them.

In a similar situation my response has everything to do with what I choose to focus on. Once my physical symptoms alert me to the fact that I am feeling fearful or anxious, if I don’t allow the steadfast character of God and the truths of Scripture to be my anchor, I will inevitably flounder like the disciples did that day. My interactions with Him will be characterized by frightful cries instead of faith-filled conversations that affirm I know who He is, what He is about, and what I can lean on in the midst of the storm.

God knows that we will feel fear at times. But, as soon as we become aware of what is happening, we must take time to answer the question as well. “Why are you afraid?” Will your mind believe or doubt the omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent God?

Jackie

Questions: Do you believe I can do this?

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Whether talking with the disciples, speaking in a public forum, or defending Himself before His enemies, Jesus consistently asked questions.  In the four gospels, Jesus asked over 300 questions.

 

Do you believe I can do this?

And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”  When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” But they went away and spread his fame through all that district. 

Matthew 9:27-30

wednesday_39494579_SWhen I was a kid, I loved watching magicians at work. The card tricks, birds popping out of hats and handkerchiefs pulled out of ears absolutely amazed me. In a category of their own, however, were the illusionists. Their tricks far superseded ordinary magic tricks. Guys like David Copperfield, David Blaine and Siegfried and Roy would cause large items to appear or disappear.

Half the time I watched their shows because I didn’t think they could really pull it off. How in the world could a person make an elephant or the Statue of Liberty disappear? But, somehow, right before my eyes, these gifted entertainers convinced me that for a moment these huge things actually vanished.

For many people who lived during Jesus’ day, Jesus was just a trickster, illusionist or even a sorcerer of sorts. They couldn’t understand how He could perform miracles. They had heard that He was healing people and making the impossible happen while others watched. Because they wanted to see for themselves, many people were following Him around just so they could see “the show.”

In today’s passage, when Jesus is approached by two blind men, He asks them, “Do you believe I can do this?” The question will reveal the status of their hearts. Were they wanting a trick or were they trusting in God and His ability? Their answer, “Yes, Lord,” tells Him exactly what He wants to know. They believed He was capable but the “Lord” told Jesus why they believed: they had faith in Jesus’ claim as well as in His ability. Jesus allowed the world to appear before their eyes.

What a great reminder to us. Having seen and heard many amazing things that God has done in my life and in the lives of those around me, I can easily say that I believe He is able to do anything. As a result, I can flood my prayers with requests, knowing He can easily answer them if He so desires.

Sadly, I don’t always allow myself to reflect on the reason why I believe He is able. First, and foremost, He is Lord. In every way possible, I must yield to Him. His plan. His ways. His timing. Because, He is Lord. I don’t think we can ever let that truth simmer too long in our hearts. It is so foundational to the reason we can actually go to Him and ask Him whatever we want.

Today, take a moment to reflect on whether you believe He can actually do what you asked Him to do yesterday? Like kids watching a great magician at work, we can overly focus on what we see. God invites us to be like these blind men who heard about the Lord, surrendered to Him and then sought His help. I believe He wants our eyes forever fixed on His position as the Lord of our lives before we lay our requests before Him. Because He is God, He is able.

Jackie