When God is Silent

Silence is defined as a quiet stillness, the absence of noise or speech. Not a concept that we are very familiar with in these times. As a matter of fact, it is something we generally like to avoid. Silence can lead to introspection and we certainly do not want that! I believe Satan hates silence. Jim Elliot was quoted as saying: “I think the devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements: noise, hurry, crowds. Satan is quite aware of the power of silence.” I also believe that God puts great value on silence and uses it as a tool for our spiritual growth.

When we enter into difficult trials and tribulations in our life the first thing we usually do is cry out to God with expectations of what we hope is a quick answer to all our troubles. But what happens when our fervent prayers are met with silence? A deafening silence that seems to go on and on. We beg and plead for answers to the how, when, where and why but receive silence in return. The longer the period of silence the greater the struggle to maintain our faith. We begin to have doubts and questions. We run through a cycle of emotions from discouragement to depression to despair. Where is God? Does any of this sound familiar?

We can receive great comfort from the book of Job concerning God’s silence for it is something he had first hand experience with. When Job entered into a horrific trial where he lost everything, he was forced to persevere with no answers. Job’s faith was stretched to the limits. Faith came easy at first but became harder with each day that passed. God eventually answered Job, though reasons were never given. That is our Sovereign God’s prerogative after all.

When God is silent he is asking us simply to put our full trust in Him. To endure patiently the trial with a strength that only He can give until the silence is broken. From personal experience, waiting on God in His silence is one the hardest things I have ever had to do. I recently ran across a song by Andrew Peterson titled “The Silence of God”.

You will find it below with a copy of the lyrics. It is my opinion that those lyrics could have only been written by someone who has experienced the silence of God because they are words that could have come straight from my heart.

“The Silence of God”

It's enough to drive a man crazy; it'll break a man's faith
It's enough to make him wonder if he's ever been sane
When he's bleating for comfort from Thy staff and Thy rod
And the heaven's only answer is the silence of God

It'll shake a man's timbers when he loses his heart
When he has to remember what broke him apart
This yoke may be easy, but this burden is not
When the crying fields are frozen by the silence of God

And if a man has got to listen to the voices of the mob
Who are reeling in the throes of all the happiness they've got
When they tell you all their troubles have been nailed up to that cross
Then what about the times when even followers get lost?
'Cause we all get lost sometimes...

There's a statue of Jesus on a monastery knoll
In the hills of Kentucky, all quiet and cold
And He's kneeling in the garden, as silent as a Stone
All His friends are sleeping and He's weeping all alone

And the man of all sorrows, he never forgot
What sorrow is carried by the hearts that he bought
So when the questions dissolve into the silence of God
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
In the holy, lonesome echo of the silence of God

Providence Linked to Contentment Pt 2

by Jenny

I just finished the book “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment” by Jeremiah Burroughs a 17^th century English puritan preacher that was first published in 1648 on the subject of contentment. His desire was to “revive the drooping spirits of the saints in these sad and sinking times,” in 1648 no less. Truly there is nothing new under sun is there?

In this continuation of last Monday’s post, he shows us three things to help us understand God’s ways of dealing with His people providentially which expands point 4 from last week.

1. God’s ordinary course is that his people in this world should be in an afflicted condition – ‘Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;’ (I Peter 4:12). People who do not understand God’s ways will think it strange that Christians should suffer and their enemies prevail, but it is God’s will for his people to be afflicted so that we may be conformed to the image of Christ.

2. Usually when God intends the greatest mercy to any of his people he brings them into the lowest condition – Usually the people of God, before the greatest comforts, have the greatest afflictions and sorrows. Those who do not have a proper understanding of God’s ways think that when he brings his people into sad conditions, that he is leaving and forsaking them, and that God does not intend any great good to them. But both Joseph and David are great examples of when God intends the greatest mercy, he brings men under the greatest afflictions.

3. It is the way of God to work by contraries, to turn the greatest evil into the greatest good – The greatest good that God intends for his people, he many times works out of the greatest evil. Understanding that God when he will bring life brings it out of death, he brings joy out of sorrow, and he brings prosperity out of adversity, and many times brings grace out of sin.

So you see having a proper understanding of the providence of God can do much to alleviate the stress and anxiety that our circumstances seem to bring on which then also leads to much murmuring and discontentment. Our Loving, Merciful, and Gracious God intends (gives) ALL things for our good and His ultimate Glory (Rom 8:28).

Providence Linked to Contentment

By Jenny

Part 1

I am currently in the process of finishing a book called “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment” by Jeremiah Burroughs a 17^th century English puritan preacher; truly one of the great old dead guys. This book is a compilation of sermons that he preached on the subject of contentment to “revive the drooping spirits of the saints in these sad and sinking times” and was first published in 1648. It is a slow read because of the language but also because it takes time to meditate on the depths of wisdom that comes from within this little paperback.

What he wrote over 350 years ago is still very relevant in our time. Discontentment is rampant among Christians today and is a sin that we easily fall prey to. You would think with the relative ease of comfort that we live our lives in today that it would not be so, but the human flesh is weak and is easily tempted if not on guard.

In Chapter 6 Jeremiah looks at how Christ teaches contentment and within that chapter is a section dedicated to the right knowledge of God’s providence. Therein lays four points.

1. The Universality of Providence – God’s providence reaches to every detail: not one hair falls from your head, not a sparrow to the ground, without the providence of God. Nothing befalls you good or evil. In every particular happening from morning to night every day, that there is nothing that befalls you that the hand of God is not in it.
2. The efficacy that is in providence – The providence of God goes on in all things, with strength and power, and will not be altered by our power. All our vexing and fretting will not alter and change its course. Job 18:4.
3. The infinite variety of the works of providence, and yet the order of things, one working towards another – We look at things by pieces but God looks at all things at once and sees the relation that one has to another. When God has ordered a thing for the present to be thus and thus, how do you know how many things depend upon this thing? When you want to have your will in a certain detail, you may cross God in a thousand things that may depend on that one thing.
4. The knowledge of God’s usual way in the dealings with His people more particularly – The right understanding of the way of God in his providence towards his saints. Those who do not understand the way of God are troubled with the providences of God and think them strange.

Understanding God’s providential care for us, if applied properly, can lead to a contented life. What a witness to a much discontented world! Next time we will look at three things that will help us understand God’s ways in dealing with His people.