When God Is Silent

Written by John Grant

Take Today’s Next Step: Learn to recognize God’s voice.

“So the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick.’ When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’” (John 11:3-4)

When Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother (Jesus’ friend) was gravely ill and requested that He come, Jesus delayed going. The family went through the entire funeral process and by the time Jesus got there Lazarus had been dead four days.

Mary, knowing the healing power of the Master, said, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21, KJV) That would be correct. But if He had come and healed Lazarus, they would have learned nothing new about Jesus. By waiting four days, it allowed Him to show even more power. His delay and silence was not rejection. Rather, it was an opportunity to know more of Him than they had ever known.

Faith is an Act

How easily Satan can trick us into getting things backwards, making us cry out at God in frustration, "What's wrong? Why isn't anything happening?" All the while the problem is in us.

One good example involves the power of God being released through you. Tonight, are you totally baffled as to why this isn't happening? More than one partner has said, "I don't understand why God isn't using me. I have the faith to work His works, but not the power."

There can be a number of reasons, but one of them could be that you've gotten God's order backwards. Brother Cerullo has often said, "Faith is a fact, but faith is an act." It is after you express your faith in a step of action that the power flows - not before. Many of you are waiting for the power to come first, before you step out, but it will never come. It is action that releases the power, not sitting home thinking about your faith.

As the book of James emphasizes, just saying, "Goodbye. Keep warm. I have faith that God will feed and heal you." does nothing. But when you act on your faith, miracles happen! Then, "...God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes"(Ephesians 3:20, AMP).

Don't Give Up: Tell God Exactly How You Feel

by Rick Warren

“I can't be quiet! I am angry and bitter. I have to speak.” (Job 7:11 TEV)

God can handle your emotions — he gave them to you, after all! He can handle your anger, doubt, fear, questions, grief, and even your complaints. Be honest; tell it to God. Get it off your shoulders. Spill your guts! Tell God exactly how you feel: “God, I hurt!” This is exactly what Job did. 

Job was brutally honest with God: “I can't be quiet! I am angry and bitter. I have to speak” (Job 7:11 TEV). He continues to unload in the following verses: “Why do you keep me under guard? Do you think I am a sea monster? I lie down and try to rest; I look for relief from my pain. But you — you terrify me with dreams; you send me visions and nightmares until I would rather be strangled than live in this miserable body. I give up; I am tired of living. Leave me alone. My life makes no sense. Why are people so important to you? Why pay attention to what they do? You inspect them every morning and test them every minute. Won’t you look away long enough for me to swallow my spit? Are you harmed by my sin, you jailer?” (Job 7:12-20)

Hope Returns When We Remember God's Unfailing Love

by Rick Warren

“Yet hope returns when I remember this one thing: The Lord's unfailing love and mercy still continue, fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise. The Lord is all I have, and so in him I put my hope.” (Lamentations 3:21-24 GNT)

Pain is a natural part of life. You can’t escape it. Broken relationships, missed opportunities, and rough seasons of life will always be with us. When they do come, you can either become bitter or hopeful.

The choice is yours.

Jeremiah faced the same choice. When his world came apart after Jerusalem was sacked in 586 B.C., the prophet wrote the book of Lamentations to share his honest frustrations with God. But he didn’t settle in his bitterness and stay there.

In Lamentations 3:21-24, after sharing his bitter feelings, he wrote, “Yet hope returns when I remember this one thing: The Lord's unfailing love and mercy still continue, fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise. The Lord is all I have, and so in him I put my hope” (GNT).