Every Christian goes through a phase of life when despite our prayers and cries are met with silence. A moment when the heaven feels quiet and God seems to be silent. In such moment our hearts are often filled with doubt, grief and anger. We question the existence of the all-knowing god. We search the scriptures and yet no answer can be found. These are known as the season of silence and are the hardest part of any Christian life.
Let me rephrase the term season of silence. Let us call it the season of waiting. The holy bible teaches us that this silence is not a sign of gods abandonment but his invitation to a deeper trust. It is a reminder that God is near even though we cannot see him. Throughout the scriptures, we can see that many of gods people face this silence. It is their unbreakable faith in gods promise that makes them stand out from others. In 1 Samuel, we can see Hanna prayed for a child. She wept, prayed and even fasted and yet nothing happened for a long time. In this period of silence, God was preparing her to become the mother of Samuel, one of the greatest prophets of Israel. Another example is the story of joseph. He was betrayed and sold by his own kin. All this time god did not speak to him but was silently preparing him to be one of the greatest rulers the land of Egypt had ever seen. 400 years between the New-testament and Old- testament is known as the years of silence. No prophets, no scriptures. Israel waited as God was preparing the world for Christ. The silence did not mean that God was gone but the greater promise was coming.
God’s silence does not stop with the Old Testament. In the chapter of Mathew, as Jesus was praying in the garden, he was met with no answer. He prayed multiple time but there was no change in the father’s plan. This silence strengthened him to fulfill the purpose of salvation. Silence teaches us patience. In a world that expects immediate answers, God s timing teachers us that his ways are higher than the human plans. It teaches us to not let go of our faith. It grows stronger in the dark. It teaches us to listen differently. Sometimes silence and deep thought help us to take paths that we may have ignored in the past. Gods silence does not mean the lack of love. Like a parent who watches closely as his child learns to stand, God sometimes steps back only to grow our confidence in him. Trusting in God in silence means believing in his promise.
In our daily life we are surrounded by doubts, unpopular opinions and noise. These obstacles compete for our attention. This is where gods silence plays its role. It is not emptiness. It is a sacred space where our faith develops and improves and God speaks into our heart. Stillness allows us to understand that God is present. We learn to listen not with our ears but with our hearts. We depend on gods’ strength rather than ours. And in time this silence lifts. The purpose becomes clearer and our prayers are answered. When we look back, we realize that the silene was not empty. It had become a place where our faith had matured and we realize that gods purpose is not just a feeling the symbol of his enduring love. It means that he is still working, even when the story is unfolding.
Trust is often born in silence and in silence, God is closer than we think.
ANGELINA JOSE JOJI