BUT just in case that wasn't enough encouragement, let me help you some more (and in the process, I'm helping myself) :). Sometimes, when I can't hear God I allow myself to get a little shaky. But that isn't how God wants us to be. He wants us to continue to walk this walk with boldness and confidence. As long as we are continuing to lift Him up, and we are being obedient to His commandments we don't have anything to worry about. It's when we begin to slack off in our calling (whatever it may be) and drift away from spending time with Him daily that we should worry. You might wonder why you should continue to read your word everyday if you can't hear God. Well, we have to deal with something called the flesh on a daily basis. The flesh is constantly warring against our spirit. The flesh has its own desires, and if we don't renew our minds daily then it will rise up. We renew our minds by reading the word of God, and applying it. If we stop reading our word simply because we feel that we can't hear God, then we are setting ourselves up for failure. It is during the quiet times that we can build our knowledge of the word even more.
And in case you thought you were alone, I am here to let you know that you are not! Every Christian goes through a period where God is silent. Psalm 102:1-2 is an earnest cry to the Lord, the writer is pleading with God to hear his prayer. The verses encompass the feeling of distress that many of us face during the silence. We become so distraught that we cannot hear God that we may begin to lose our appetite (vs. 4). Don't think that if you can't hear God it is only because of sin. Sin is one reason that we stop hearing His voice because God cannot dwell where sin is. But, another reason God is silent is to give us time to grow in our faith. But be careful! Faith without works is dead (James 2:20). So if you are believing that God will do something in your life, while you are believing you also need to walk like it is already done (in fact, it is!). Don't say that you are believing God for a job, but you aren't filling out any applications or going to any interviews. I'm not saying that it's not possible because we serve a God who works the impossible, but you have to put some work in- in order to get the results that you want to see. This is how we find strength in the quiet times.
Also, keep working. We cannot stop working simply because we do not hear Him. Do you think that He wants us to quit working? How will anything get done? Exactly...it won't. Also, don't stop praying. Continue to pray to God. In time you will receive an answer. This is also a test of patience. If you're like me, and I'm getting better everyday (Thank you Jesus!!), I like to have an answer right away. But we have to realize that we are not in control of God. We have to surrender our will to His. Once we surrender our will to His, then He can begin to work in us. I found out that it was a lot easier to walk in my calling once I surrendered my will. When I began to seek God early in the morning, it set the tone for my day. There will be days and periods where you won't hear anything, but that does not mean to give up. And it definitely doesn't mean that you should walk in the opposite direction.
When it is time for God to speak, believe you me, He will speak! And it will be so clear that there will be no way to confuse His message. Just listen to what He has to say. Don't expect God to come to you a certain way either. He's known for operating in the unexpected! But stay prayed up, and ask for discernment so that you can distinguish the voice of God. My prayer is that God will open my eyes so that I can see what He sees, to keep my heart soft and guarded so that it will line up with His word, and to open my ears so that I can hear clearly.
God sees all and knows all, so what makes you think that He doesn't hear you? He hears you, now just sit and be patient. His response is coming. But it will come in HIS timing. NOT in YOURS.
Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" (NLT). Take joy in this! We don't serve a man-made God, and we don't serve a man. God does not change His mind about the things He has told us. When He said He would grant us the desires of our heart He meant it. But He never said anything about giving us things in our own timing. We do not control God. Wait on the Lord. And while you're waiting remain strong in what He has already spoken to you. Keep your mind stayed on Him, and you will remain in His perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Don't grow weary in the silence, but remain strong in the Lord.
Be Encouraged,
God's Servant
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