Does God keep silent?
Part One
July 5, 2023
Now in the world of suffering and happiness, falling and rising, weakness and courage or any other emotions take over our lives turn by turn. This actually is not new. It is said “In the world you have tribulation” (John 16:33). On top of living a life of Christianity, being human in general has its ups and downs. Being a Christian gives a different perspective in the life of spirituality, so it has far more challenges. The Church is always under suffering. Even in the world of the Angles has been through countless struggles.
The trials that we face as an individual or as a Church, are concerns that we should seek solutions. Even though the degree of effort laid for every trial is different, we should attempt to take the responsibility and be part of changes for the better. But, we question God’s silence saying “why?” and might even give up. When we are in a trial, confused or stressed, we ask “why does God see and hear us but keep silent?”
For a person who believes God is kind, this may not be a question. Because he knows His will is always noble. “In my hunger and fullness, thirst, satisfaction, sorrow, joy, poverty and wealth, it is a great blessing to say God is right.” We should not be ungrateful for everything He does in His own will. Even if we question about His silence, we need to understand that His thought is beyond our capacity to fully comprehend.
We should not expect Him to work in our timing and must not complain at times like this. Though we think He is late, He has His own timing. It is for the better when He keeps quite. In spiritual books, in the life of the Saints, it is written that God may keep silent without saying anything in times of trials in our lives or in the Church.
In our Personal Life
When we are facing problems, when trials consequently befall or when we are seeking for something, we ask God to give us a solution for our problems or to grant us our wish. At times like this, when we do not get answers immediately, we should believe everything happens for a reason and be patient. When we see the lives of the Patristic fathers, there are times in life when God wills not to give us what we are seeking.
God is a patient and may crave for us to learn patience through His late reply to our prayers. When something is given to us easily, we usually take it for granted. Because of this, He makes us wait before granting our wishes; We learn patience through spirituality.
The other reason God doesn’t answer our prayers quickly it is because He has something better planed for us. We can mention two examples. In the lives of Saints, there are Saints who were born from parents who were infertile. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said, “Among those born of woman there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” to Saint John the Baptist. He is the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah who received him in pleading God. They had nearly given up hope before that due to their aging. But, God have them a blessed child at their old age who is also chosen to preach the gospel, Baptize the Lord Himself and prepare Christians through the way of the Lord.
In the book of Synaxarium (the life of Saints), a story about Theodosius tells us about his prayer to the Lord in embracing a son that will inherit his Kingdom. But the Lord didn’t give him an answer for He had a reason to be silent. The Lord new the generation who comes after his reign were heresies without the faith of God. The Lord did not seek to see the betrayal of His Holy Son and He revealed the truth to him through the monks who were close to him.
Since we are humans, we may lack some kind of knowledge in being aware of praying for something that is bad for us. Remembering the pleading of Johns and Jacobs mother and the Lord’s answer is a very good example. She begged for her sons to sit at the Lords right and left in His kingdom but she was begging for their death. However, Lord Jesus answered saying “you do not know what you are asking. Can you drink of cup I shall drink of?” (Matthew 20: 20-23). We do not know what we are praying and but still complain about God’s silence.
We should know He is silent for a reason. As it is explained above, God may not reply to our prayers quickly so that we can learn to be patient. And the situation we are in maybe the path we might attain spiritual growth. Saint Paul prayed to get away from his trial but that didn’t happen. After understanding it was for his own good, he wrote saying, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to [a]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Dearly beloveds, we should be as happy as when God gives us answer when he is silent for his silence is an answer.
Amen!