When God is Silent
Studies show that four hundred years of silence exist between the Old Testament and the New Testament. After enduring four hundred years of prophetic silence, the world had come to the fullness of time.
Although Galatians is not considered to be part of the Christmas story, it brings divine significance to the birth of Christ. God sent His Son at a precise moment—the precise time biblical prophecy was to be fulfilled. Although during the four hundred years of silence, people could not see God fulfilling prophecy, God was still working. He was working behind the scenes, preparing the world for His Son.
God works through silence. Even though we cannot always trace His every move, He is still working in your life and in mine.
A story has been told of a time when the Lord told a man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of the man’s cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many months he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night, the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out.
Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s mind such as: “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. You are never going to be able to move it.” These thoughts began to discourage and dishearten the man even more.
In the midst of battling discouragement, the man decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which You have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a centimeter. I am failing You.”
To this the Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and sturdy, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But, son, I did not ask you to move the rock. I simply asked you to push. It is my job to move the rock.”
If we rightly obey, we can assuredly leave the results up to God. Even though it may seem as if God is silent in your life, “…know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself…” (Psalm 4:3).
God wants to use you. Although you don’t have signs of confirmation falling down from Heaven on a continual basis, don’t let this discourage you or weaken your faith. God is strengthening you through times of waiting, times of solitude, and times of uncertainty. After the world endured silence for four hundred years, the most miraculous event in human history took place—our Saviour was born.
When God is silent, He is still working. Remain obedient and open to His will. Even though you cannot always see Him working, He is! The question is, “Will you remain faithful when He is silent?”
Source: Dailyintheword.org, December 10, 2007