Despite God’s claim to love us, he sometimes seems to ignore our prayers of desperation. In one season of ministry, my husband Harry and I spent more than a year seeking God’s direction for our crucial next steps. Yet, all we heard was the deafening sound of God’s silence. What then?

God’s silence can stretch and strengthen our faith. When we wonder how to respond, Scripture can direct our steps. The verses below help me.

3 Steps to Embrace Faith and Find Strength in God’s Word

1. Relate our feelings to God. 

God knows our minds and hearts, so we don’t need to pretend his silence doesn’t disturb us. He values our honest expressions of emotion. We pray not to give God information but to start a conversation with him.

• Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders— he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. (Psalm 55:22 MSG)
• Trust in Him at all times, O people. Pour out your heart before Him. God is a safe place for us. (Psalm 62:8 NLV)
• I cry out loudly to God, loudly I plead with God for mercy. I spill out all my complaints before him, and spell out my troubles in detail. (Psalm 142:1-2 MSG)
• Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

2. Rely on God’s wisdom and sovereignty. 

God sees what we cannot. His silence may demonstrate his patience or his plan to do what is right when the time is right. We can trust his timing, wisdom, and sovereignty.

• Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)
• I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose. (Isaiah 46:9-10 ESV)
• My plans aren’t your plans, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my plans than your plans. (Isaiah 55:8-9 CEV)
• If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. (James 1:5 NLT)

3. Reflect on God’s past faithfulness. 

Sometimes God answers my questions with silence, and I fail the patience test. However, my inability to see or hear his activity doesn’t mean he’s inactive. When I focus on his faithfulness rather than my feelings, waiting for his response becomes easier and more productive.

• Once again I’ll go over what God has done, lay out on the table the ancient wonders; I’ll ponder all the things you’ve accomplished, and give a long, loving look at your acts. (Psalm 77:11-12 MSG)
• Remember the miracles he performed, the amazing things he did, and the judgments he pronounced. (Psalm 105:5 NOG)
• The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)
• Let us hold on to the hope that we profess without the slightest hesitation—for he is utterly dependable. (Hebrews 10:23 PHILLIPS)

What I’ve Learned About God’s Silence

In biblical culture, as well as today, words left unsaid often carried more weight than those said. Rather than indicate his absence or reluctance to answer, God’s silence makes room for his listening presence. Perhaps he’s listening for something in us—maybe repentance, compliance, or relinquishment of control. Or he’s working in ways we cannot see. A season of God’s silence invites us to explore possible reasons for that season. Trust his faithfulness. Then we can say with the psalmist, “I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Psalm 131:2 NLT). As we rest in the confidence of his presence, our awareness of his nearness will come again.

Despite the long season of God’s silence, Harry and I persisted in seeking his will for our next steps. In God’s time, he spoke and made his desires plain.

Scripture recounts the stories of many people who struggled with God’s silence. I’ve shared my struggle with some of the same issues in past posts:

• “Why Is God Sometimes Silent?” (Hannah) explores potential explanations for God’s silence.
• “Why Does God Make Us Wait?” (Sarah) discusses the question of delay in God’s fulfillment of his promises.
• “Disappointed in God” considers the experience of  Mary and Martha when Jesus didn’t respond as they’d hoped.
• “Holding onto Faith in the Dark” (Part 1 and Part 2) reviews the story of New Testament Joseph as he strained to hear God’s voice and struggled to find his way.

How to Embrace Faith in God's Silence: Find Strength in His Word by @NancyLucenay on Beyond the Front Door #GodsSilence #PersistentPrayer Share on X

I’m eager to hear your suggestions about responding to God’s silence. Please share in the Comments box at the bottom of the page.