The Silence of God

Coffee cup perched on the arm of the chair, I enjoy a morning on the back porch before the day heats up and August rages in with full heat.

Yesterday our family went out with my brother, sister, and their respective families to celebrate a birthday. Sometimes the conversation rollicked around the table, with a side conversation or two running alongside. Sometimes that conversation ebbed as we pondered something that had just been said, thought of the next thing, or sat or stood in silence while the kids ran through the fountains.

This morning, I’m thinking of the relationships in which I am most secure. My husband’s. My children’s. My best friends’.

In each of those relationships, silence is safe.

They are not awkward silences, where each of us tries to conjure up the next thing to say. They are not angry silences, where one refuses to talk due to a slight or an offense. They are not embarrassed silences, where one doubts the wisdom or safety of something just shared. They are not even empty silences, devoid of friendship or connection.

No, when I’m in a secure relationship, silence can be comfortable, peaceful, and respectful. Fear of silence indicates an opportunity for growth.

In my safest and most secure relationships, we can just be next to each other. We enjoy each other’s company but are not required to fill every second with witty conversation and engaging dialogue. And then, when the time is right, we jump right back into conversation.

Do you feel like God is silent in your life right now? It may be the silence of a Friend.

God does not keep silence forever (Psalm 50:3). He will speak. He will draw near.

If you are waiting for God in silence, take heart: He is your hope and salvation.