How to Listen to God in the Silence {Part 1}

How to Listen to God in the Silence {Part 1}

So I was thinking about the question why  the other day during my Bible study time. Our little China guy, who has been home for only 4 months, knows very little English. In fact, the words he does know, he uses incorrectly in sentences. Every answer to every questions is “no” – even if he means yes. “Hold you!” Means “hold me.” And so on. Recently he discovered the question “why” and I know all kids go through the stage where you have to keep answering their question “why” over and over again, but let me tell you: Try “explaining” things to a two-year-old, Chinese-English toddler. No amount of reasoning is about to help you out there. And explaining is really what he wants. He just wants to keep the conversation going.

I was pushing the cart in the grocery store the other day, and he was just repeating the word: “Why?” And I felt funny ignoring him – which is really what you have to do. You can respond with nonsense words and he will say: “Why” But I felt funny because people were watching: how is she going to respond to her child? Why is she not answering him? 

Then I thought about God, and maybe the world is watching us. We go through immense grief – the loss of a child, friend, parent, or grandparent. They watch us (now with social media it is much easier) go through this deep grief and we raise our hands (either in fists or with open palms) – asking God, “WHY”?

The world is watching, just as those people at the grocery story were watching me.  At the time, when I was ignoring all his jabbering, an onlooker could very well think: Wow, she really doesn’t care about her son, or his questions. My silence would have been judged as a lack of compassion.

Instead, now that you know the whole story: my son only wanted engagement (which I gave him with eye contact and sweet kisses on the cheek down each aisle), you know I wasn’t ignoring him. My silence didn’t mean I wasn’t answering. And so it is with God.

I can take comfort in knowing God’s going to answer me because God is in the pages of scripture ready to answer!  I guarantee, from someone who has sought Him time and time again, He is there. Just open the Bible and seek Him with a willing heart.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

It is not just a cop-out answer. I have felt the silence of God many times. In my most deepest pain I couldn’t hear His voice, but I wasn’t listening and wasn’t looking in the right place. As soon as I began reading His Word, there was His voice.

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“Light Breaks Through” an advent reading plan designed to be read from December 1st –  December 25th. This devotional takes you through the entire Bible focusing on the Light of the World!

During the Christmas Season, do you find yourself surrounded by darkness? Jesus, who came to earth to show us the Father, is the Light of the World. Let’s speak truth to our hearts each day leading up to Christmas.

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. Micah 7:8