Prayer Night Recap: July 2016
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN GOD IS SILENT
Are you going through crises, a storm, struggle or difficulty? Is there someone you know that is going through a crisis and you or they have not heard from God?
Is God silent during your crises? Why would a loving God abandon you, or be silent when it is apparent that you need him to help you weather this storm?
Some of the crises that we experience are divorce, death, sickness, rejection, fear, loneliness, betrayal and discouragement. During these times of unrest, we need to hear from God for help, direction, guidance and comfort. When we don’t see or sense his presence, WE PANIC! Did Meshach, Shadrach, or Abednego see God while they were in the fiery furnace? They may not have, but the King did! How about Elijah in 1 Kings 19 - did he hear or see God when he was battling depression? He didn’t see God in the storm, rain, or earthquake. No; he only could hear and see him when it was quiet. (God is the God over the storms, not in the storms)
Deuteronomy 31:6
Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
What are the reasons why God is silent?
There are several reasons and conclusions that we can assume why God is silent. Normally the obvious ones are: living in darkness, separating yourself from God, taking matters into your own hands in a lack of faith, and going through a 'pruning' process that God may be working on you.
1. You are in darkness:
When we are going through our crises, the one thing we encounter is darkness. What does darkness do? It obliterates reality. Take this scenario as an example: if you cut off the lights in a room, you do not see what is there, but nothing has moved. In the same way, we take the problem that we are dealing with and let it consume us, even though in reality, God is calling out to us. We wear this darkness like a blanket and it saturates our mind with doubt. God is light and in him is no darkness; God cannot be in darkness. But he can pull you out of it.
1 John 1:5
This is the message we heard from Christ and are reporting to you: God is light, and there isn't any darkness in him.
Isaiah 42:16
I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
2. You separate yourself from him:
Isaiah 59:1
Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
The crises we face usually separate us from God, and instead of focusing on God’s word, we consume ourselves with thoughts of defeat, discouragement and fear. We begin to feel isolated from God’s spirit. One of our sisters in Christ, who is a lawyer, told me that the “abuser isolates the abused.” Satan wants us to be isolated so we cannot hope in God’s ability to rescue us.
However, God is a God of hope, power, encouragement, and comfort! The Bible says that those who keep him in their minds will be in perfect peace. When we become overwhelmed by our circumstances, it will produce stress and anxiety, increase our heart rates, and cause us to do or say things that we may not mean to act on. What weapon did Jesus use against the raging sea? PEACE. Jesus did not allow himself to be consumed by fear or to allow the circumstances to make him upset. He simply spoke a word, and the waters calmed.
3. You take your problems into your own hands:
God cannot help us, guide us, or strengthen us if we are trying to solve our own problems without him. He will not interrupt us or intervene while we are solving and working out our own solutions. God needs our complete surrender, cooperation, and trust in order for him to act. When we allow the internal and external voices of the world to give us a non-biblical solution to our situation, God will not be a co-conspirer in your demise. The devil and your own heart will deceive you. Instead, he has specific steps and instructions for us to follow that will being us true peace and breakthrough. Abraham, Noah and Jesoaphat are all examples of how we can obtain that breakthrough, peace, or solution.
What does God say?
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
4. God is pruning you:
The biggest reason that God is silent is because he is pruning us; he is examining, studying, and creating our own individual lesson plan. Through the pruning phase, God is paying close attention to our actions, thoughts, and decisions while we are going through our time of wilderness. Therefore, he must be still, attentive and quiet while he is making these observations. This analysis is only specific to you, not anyone else. He is not measuring you up with anyone or comparing you, and he's not burdening you with unnecessary expectations. God knows exactly what you can bear. He knows the gifts, talents and qualities you possess and is observing to see if you are using them exactly as they should be. God knows what is best for us! He knows that this situation will produce in you exactly what you need or to overcome. God knows where we need development, what our areas of opportunities and strengths are, and what our fears are. God then customizes our development based on his observations during our time of struggle. God is our father, our lord and savior, and our teacher, mentor, guide, and leader. When God has finished his perfect work in us, we will then understand that the difficulty was necessary for our spiritual growth.
James 1:2
Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect and mature, complete, lacking in nothing.
Sometimes, God is looking to change us, not necessarily our situations. He knows when our faith is weak and when we do not trust him. He knows what burdens us and overwhelms us, he knows about our struggles; he knows what your fears are. He is a present help in time of trouble, (Ps. 46:1) and he will see you through your situation. You can speak to things, problems, storms etc, in prayer, knowing that God is on your side.
ALWAYS REMEMBER:
GOD IS FAITHFUL
GOD IS GOOD
GOD IS MY DELIVERER
GOD IS MY HEALER
GOD IS MY HELP
GOD IS MY HOPE
GOD IS MY PROVISION
GOD IS MY STRENGTH
GOD IS TRUSTWORTHY
