Thoughts from the weekend - God's silence

Thoughts from the weekend:

 

I thought I might use today's blog to explain in more detail my last point from yesterday concerning God's silence.

 

Sometimes God is silent in our conversations with him (not because of sin in our lives or because of anything that we have done wrong - and we looked at that yesterday).

 

So why is God silent?

 

Well, sometimes God is silent because he wants to guard our freedom of choice.  God created us with a free will - or the ability to choose between right and wrong.  Here's what I know about that:  God takes our free will seriously!

 

Sometimes God is silent because His silence allows us to mature.

 

More than anything else, God's desire is that we grow, that we mature that we become stronger in our faith.

 

When you and I face a crossroads, a decision in life, the Lord will speak to us (in the midst of his silence) and say:  "You have really grown in your walk with me.  I am going to let you make this decision.  I am not going to intervene and give you direction as to what to do."

 

For instance, you might have the type of relationship with God where you are in a Jewel store or any other type of grocery store and you are standing in the aisle asking, "Lord, please speak to me.  Do I buy a box of Cheerios or do I buy a box of Wheaties?"

 

Now, because God is a loving Father, he might say back to you, "Buy the Wheaties," or "Buy the Cheerios," but almost always He will say, "Hey, you've got this one.  You've got your big boy pants on - I know you can make the decision."

 

If we aren't allowed to make choices, we will never grow (BTW, I teach that the best thing you can do with your children is to teach them to make choices).

 

God takes great joy in giving us choices so that we might grow, spiritually.

 

God will share with you this:  "Now that you have said, "I'll go, God, wherever you want me to go, I'll say, Lord, whatever you want me to say, I'll do, Lord, whatever you want me to do," - "Go ahead and do and say and go wherever you want to!"

 

That can be scary, but that is the freedom God gives us.

 

God's silence provides an opportunity for those around us to show grace.

 

God, many times is silent, so that is provides an occasion for friends and family around us to minister to us.  To show through their words and actions the grace of Jesus.

 

Finally (and there are more):  God's silence deepens our faith. 

 

So what do you do when God is silent?

 

Job 34:29 gives us the first principle:  "If God is silent what is that to you?  Since He turns His face away what can you do about it?  But whether silent or hidden He's there ruling."

 

God is in control.  He may not share his plan with you - but that does not mean that he doesn't have a plan or is not working behind the scenes.

 

Trust in Him.  David writes in Psalms 50:14, "I want you to trust me in your time of trouble, so I can rescue you, and you can give me glory."

 

So at the end of the day, when God is silent - it gives us all a wonderful opportunity to trust in Him.

 

Just some thoughts for a Monday.