Pastor Philip Nissley has been the Senior Pastor of New Hope Assembly for 24+ years. He has a passion for the Downriver community and Detroit to be changed by the power of God.
SPIRITUALITY AND FAITH
WHAT TO DO WHEN GOD IS SILENT AND YOU ARE DESPERATE
Article by Pastor Philip Nissley,
New Hope Assembly of God, Taylor, MI
We who live in a noisy world, the sound of silence is a welcomed sound. When we are tired and worn down, we welcome silence for in it we often find our greatest rest and peace. But there are also times when silence is not welcomed or wanted, especially if that silence comes from God! We may ask, “Does God really care about my situation? Is He near?” The Bible tells the story of a man named Job, who was well acquainted with God's silence. In his pain and suffering, he cried out to God. In the first 37 chapters of Job, his cries for God's help and relief were met only by God's deafening silence. From Job and others in the Bible we can learn:
I. GOD’S PRESENCE CLAIMED WHEN HE’S SILENT AND WE ARE DESPERATE
A. Examine your life. Make sure nothing is blocking you from being able to hear God's voice. Psalm 66:18 says, "If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, my Lord would not have listened" (New Living). This requires looking deeper!
B. Accept God's Sovereignty. Like us, Job faced the choice of acknowledging or rejecting the sovereignty of God. Instead of following his wife’s advice to curse God and die, Job chooses to let God be God. In Job 2:10 he asks, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" Accepting God's sovereignty means trusting God, realizing He is in control and can be trusted!
"Jesus' silence could have been interpreted as neglect — but instead Mary and Martha were drawn into a new closeness to God and understanding
of His power."