Kari Lee Fournier
When God seems silent
By Kari Lee Fournier
Life is struggle. Plain and simple. If you've just gotten out of some sort of problem, you can bet that another one is right around the corner.
And sometimes the setback doesn't end up being something small, or something even medium sized. Every so often a difficulty comes along, at some point in our lives, that knocks us off of our feet – that takes our breath away.
At first, we cannot believe that this problem came to us. This type of situation happens to other people, sure, and we feel terribly sorry for them. But we've always managed to dodge the bullet until now.
Of course, the first thing that the believer in Jesus Christ does – those who believe that He was the Son of God who died for our sins and rose again – is to pray.
Innately, they know that they cannot handle this problem on their own – but that the God of the Bible specializes in healing, comfort, and sustenance throughout any trial in life. They also recognize that all of life's battles are won on one's knees in prayer.
But what happens when God seems silent? We know that God will answer our prayer with either a 'Yes,' a 'No,' or a 'Wait upon Me.'
And this is when it gets really tough, as we sometimes don't feel that God is listening to our prayers – prayers that have turned into desperate pleas for any kind of help. And at this point, we are so very tired, simply exhausted to the depths of our soul.
This is where patience comes in. Faith must be combined with patience. After all, if God simply snapped His fingers and gave us what we wanted all of the time, faith would have little value.
In addition, the Bible tells us that trials are a part of life. How else would our character grow? Moreover, Lamentations 3:25-26 confirms: "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord." Yes, our patience and trust in Him pleases the Lord.
Another good point is mentioned in Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." When the believer turns their situation over to God, they know that God is working behind the scenes on every minute detail, on all things, to ensure the best possible outcome.
Indeed, God's thoughts and ways are, as the Bible tells us, much higher than ours. We see this in John 13:7: "Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.""
Never get discouraged, and never trade what you do know for what you don't know. And what we do know is that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and present everywhere – and that He is working on a solution to our problem even though it may appear or feel like He is not.
Remember also that sometimes it seems like God isn't listening, when the true fact may be that we simply are not following God's instructions, His impressions upon our heart. Read the Bible and line up your thinking with the wisdom found in its pages. Pray and seek fellowship with other believers.
Furthermore, consider a makeover of your lifestyle, as well. You have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of you as a believer. Treat your body like the temple that it is. Exercise, eat right, find moments of relaxation, and get good sleep. Sometimes we wonder why we aren't feeling better, yet we do nothing to help ourselves.
God may seem silent at times, especially when we do not get the answers that we so desire – but this is just our impatience at work. The real truth is that God gave His only son, Jesus Christ, to defeat sin, death, and the devil – and that He loves you unconditionally.
The wise among us always bear that in mind, as well as the fact that pressures are not permanent.
The late William Arthur Ward summed it up best: "Some of the most comforting words in the Bible are these: 'And it came to pass.' Problems and pressures do not come to stay . . . they come to pass. They are temporary, transitory, and, like many of the irritations and vexations which we all have experienced, will evaporate when we realize that our internal resources are much stronger than the external pressures. Truly, greater is the power within you than any other power on earth."
And so it is....
© Kari Lee Fournier
September 11, 2018
Life is struggle. Plain and simple. If you've just gotten out of some sort of problem, you can bet that another one is right around the corner.
And sometimes the setback doesn't end up being something small, or something even medium sized. Every so often a difficulty comes along, at some point in our lives, that knocks us off of our feet – that takes our breath away.
At first, we cannot believe that this problem came to us. This type of situation happens to other people, sure, and we feel terribly sorry for them. But we've always managed to dodge the bullet until now.
Of course, the first thing that the believer in Jesus Christ does – those who believe that He was the Son of God who died for our sins and rose again – is to pray.
Innately, they know that they cannot handle this problem on their own – but that the God of the Bible specializes in healing, comfort, and sustenance throughout any trial in life. They also recognize that all of life's battles are won on one's knees in prayer.
But what happens when God seems silent? We know that God will answer our prayer with either a 'Yes,' a 'No,' or a 'Wait upon Me.'
And this is when it gets really tough, as we sometimes don't feel that God is listening to our prayers – prayers that have turned into desperate pleas for any kind of help. And at this point, we are so very tired, simply exhausted to the depths of our soul.
This is where patience comes in. Faith must be combined with patience. After all, if God simply snapped His fingers and gave us what we wanted all of the time, faith would have little value.
In addition, the Bible tells us that trials are a part of life. How else would our character grow? Moreover, Lamentations 3:25-26 confirms: "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord." Yes, our patience and trust in Him pleases the Lord.
Another good point is mentioned in Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." When the believer turns their situation over to God, they know that God is working behind the scenes on every minute detail, on all things, to ensure the best possible outcome.
Indeed, God's thoughts and ways are, as the Bible tells us, much higher than ours. We see this in John 13:7: "Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.""
Never get discouraged, and never trade what you do know for what you don't know. And what we do know is that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and present everywhere – and that He is working on a solution to our problem even though it may appear or feel like He is not.
Remember also that sometimes it seems like God isn't listening, when the true fact may be that we simply are not following God's instructions, His impressions upon our heart. Read the Bible and line up your thinking with the wisdom found in its pages. Pray and seek fellowship with other believers.
Furthermore, consider a makeover of your lifestyle, as well. You have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of you as a believer. Treat your body like the temple that it is. Exercise, eat right, find moments of relaxation, and get good sleep. Sometimes we wonder why we aren't feeling better, yet we do nothing to help ourselves.
God may seem silent at times, especially when we do not get the answers that we so desire – but this is just our impatience at work. The real truth is that God gave His only son, Jesus Christ, to defeat sin, death, and the devil – and that He loves you unconditionally.
The wise among us always bear that in mind, as well as the fact that pressures are not permanent.
The late William Arthur Ward summed it up best: "Some of the most comforting words in the Bible are these: 'And it came to pass.' Problems and pressures do not come to stay . . . they come to pass. They are temporary, transitory, and, like many of the irritations and vexations which we all have experienced, will evaporate when we realize that our internal resources are much stronger than the external pressures. Truly, greater is the power within you than any other power on earth."
And so it is....
© Kari Lee Fournier
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
