May 10, 2021
How Do We Have Faith When God Is Silent?
Thriving in faith from the perspective of an Old Testament prophet.
Let’s take a journey back to the time when an Old Testament prophet by the name of Habakkuk lived. His name is affixed to a small book in the Bible that many people have never taken the time to read. That’s a bit sad because its message is just as relevant today as it was when it was originally written.
The prophet deals with some topics that we find all too familiar as we go through this life. He deals with the silence of God, the presence of evil in God’s people and the world, waiting on God, and the chaos of life.
A Discouraging Start
Habakkuk records a frustrating and depressing scene in the opening of this book. It’s clear right off the bat that Habakkuk is living in a world that is full of evil and sinfulness. However, this evil doesn’t stop in the world around him, God’s own people have fallen into the same sinfulness as everyone else. The hardest part, though, is that it doesn’t seem like God is doing anything about it.
Honestly, we can relate to this type of problem, can’t we? Many of us have asked some of the same questions Habakkuk asked of God.
But it all boils down to this: How can we live as God’s children in this fallen world? I believe that God’s answer to that question can be found in the key verse of this book. In Habakkuk 2:4, God tells the prophet, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by faith.”
How are we to live God-honoring lives in such a corrupt and evil world? How are we to thrive as followers of Christ? We do these things by faith. Our faith in God causes us to stand out. It looks odd to the world around us. It doesn’t make logical sense to have faith in God.
But if we are to live and thrive in troubled times, it will only be possible through our faith in God.
But what is faith? The Bible describes faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)” We can’t see God with our eyes or feel Him with our hands. Yet, by faith, we know He exists, that He is able to work, and that He is working in our lives each day. But what happens when it feels like God is absent? That’s what we are going to look at today.
Faith in the Silence
The first words of Habakkuk in this book are, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and you will not hear?” He then goes on to describe the situation. It’s clear from the very first verse that Habakkuk was discouraged, frustrated and burdened. He was living in a place where he was subjected to evil all around, even amongst his own people.
We don’t know how long Habakkuk had prayed to God to do something, but it’s clear that this was a persistent burden with which he dealt. He came to God on a number of occasions, I’m sure, to request and plead with God for something to be done to rid the people of evil and sinfulness.
Sadly, it seemed that his prayers fell on deaf ears. As Habakkuk cried out, it was as if God was a million miles away and unconcerned with the plight of the people. He cried out, How long? How long do I have to keep praying? How long do I have to keep crying out to you? How long will you keep silent when I’m needing you to answer?
Have you ever thought those things? Have you ever said those words to God? Have you ever reached a point of desperation where you poured out your frustrations to God and said, “how long do I have to keep praying for this same thing before you will answer? How many times do I have to plead with you to work in this situation before you will do something?”
It may feel right now that God is silent and unconcerned about what’s going on in your life. You wonder if God is even listening or if He even cares anymore. You pray to Him and cry out often, but it’s like your prayers just bounce off the ceiling above you and fall back to the ground.
How are we to live like this? We know that there will be times when it seems that God is silent. It’s happened from the very beginning of time even to the best of God’s children. So what are we to do? Stand firm on our faith in God. We can experience and live out true faith, even in the silence.
How can we have this type of peace?
Remember The Prayers He’s Answered
It is a certainty that there will be times when God is silent. We pray to Him and no answer comes. This can be discouraging and frustrating. I have found that one of the easiest and most powerful tools in dealing with the silence of God is a prayer journal. Take a notebook and write down the things you are praying for. Keep praying each day for those things or for those individuals. When God answers the prayer, go back and write it down.
“How will that help deal with the times when it feels like God doesn’t hear me?”
In those moments when it feels like God is a million miles away, go back and look at the prayers He’s answered. Be reminded that the God we serve is mighty, powerful, and faithful. He has worked in ways that are beyond our wildest imaginations. He has brought us through situations that we never thought possible.
When it feels like God is silent, remember how He’s answered before and keep on praying, knowing that He hears even though it may not feel like it at the moment. When we remember the times God has answered, it bolsters our faith in God that, even though He’s silent right now, He will come through in His time.
Remember His Promises
Another way to deal with the seeming silence of God in our troubles is to remember the promises He has made. There is a quote that I once heard that goes right along with this. It says, “Never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light.” In the times when we are going through the valley and feel all alone, isolated even from God, it’s easy to forget not only what God has already done, but what He has promised us. God has promised His children a lot of things. The promises of God are precious and powerful because of who made the promise. When we are going through the uncertainty of life, it’s good to remember that we serve a God who is a promise keeper. There has never been a promise made by God that He failed to keep. He is faithful and trustworthy.
In the moments when:
- We are in a battle surrounded by our enemies: Exodus 14:14 — “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
- Our strength is gone: Isaiah 40:29–31 — “He gives power to the weak; and to those that have no might, He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall, but those that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
- The devil is fighting against us: James 4:7 — “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
- We are gripped by fear: Joshua 1:9 — “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
- You’re struggling to make ends meet: Philippians 4:19 — “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
- We are filled with anxiety and worry: Philippians 4:6–7 — “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
- God seems absent: Deuteronomy 31:8 — “And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
In the midst of the silence, may we remember the God we serve is faithful and powerful and will always come through for His children.
Habakkuk felt discouraged and frustrated because of the evil around him and that he had cried out to God and it felt like all he heard was a deafening silence. But in the midst of what seemed like silence, God spoke up. God’s word to Habakkuk was the same as He’s saying to us today: “I’ve heard your prayer and I already have the answer on its way.”
Does God seem silent in your life right now? Do you feel like your faith is crumbling under the weight of it all?
Keep praying even when you feel that it is useless. Keep trusting even though you may not see Him at work nor hear Him speaking. Keep crying out to God. He hears the cries of His children. Know that God is still at work behind the scenes even when He seems silent.
