My Strength & My Shield / psm28:7

5 - Silence

Silence is golden, right? Not always. 

On a noisy Boston T or a Chicago L, a little silence would be a thing of gold - welcomed even. But when you're waiting to hear from God about a mission He's outlined for you, and He suddenly clams up like He's hording the mother of all pearls, the silence isn't so golden. Not really. Not when you're pumped up and ready to do what He's told you He's got planned for you. 

So He's silent, and you don't know why. Is it something you did? Something you thought? And then the big question raises its ugly head... did I somehow misinterpret what He told me? 

How's that for being subtle. Satan casts doubt even while you're right there in the midst of your God time. The nerve! You're in your quiet time with God and what pounds away at your brain, hammering and chiseling away at your faith? Doubt. Did God really reveal that to me, or was I just imagining things? 

Sorry to say, it happens. What I've learned through these times in the dessert when God is silent... continue to pray, even when you don't feel like it. Continue to look up even when your chin feels like it's dragging the ground. Continue to say, "Here I am," reminding Him you're waiting to hear from Him even if it feels like He's taken an extended vacation, and His voicemail's full and isn't picking up. 

Most important of all... believe... and don't get discouraged when He answers, and it's not the answer you were looking for because maybe... just maybe, He has a better handle on things than we do. 

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1) 

The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down. Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. A third time the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3:1-10) 

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)