Biblical Answer

The Reality of God's Silence

When we suffer, it can be tempting to think that God is silent, that He is not present or involved in our lives. But is this really the case? Or is it possible that God is actually speaking to us, but we are not listening? The Bible teaches us that God is not silent, but rather, He is speaking to us through His Word, through the Holy Spirit, and through the circumstances of our lives. In fact, the infinite-personal God, the full Trinitarian God, has not been silent. He has told us who He is, and we have the answer in His Word.

The Purpose of God's Silence

But why does God sometimes seem silent in our suffering? One reason is that He is bringing us into an even more wonderful understanding of Himself. When we are in the midst of suffering, it can be tempting to think that God is distant or disinterested. But the truth is that God is actually working in us, even when we don't feel like He is. He is refining us, purifying us, and drawing us closer to Himself. And when we cry out to Him in our suffering, it is from a fundamental conviction that God loves us so much that He gave up everything for us. We are not rejecting Him who gave up everything for us, but rather, we are coming to Him in our weakness and vulnerability.

The Gift of God's Silence

So, what is the gift of God's silence? It is not a silence of despair, but rather, one of pleasure, because God saw that we could withstand an absolute silence. This silence is not a sign of God's absence, but rather, His presence. It is a sign that He is working in us, even when we don't feel like He is. And when we are in the midst of suffering, we can cry out to God, saying, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me?" And in that moment, God is not distant or disinterested. He is actually drawing near to us, understanding our grief, and entering into our pain. So, let us not be fooled by the silence of God. Instead, let us trust that He is working in us, even when we don't feel like He is. Let us trust that His silence is not a sign of His absence, but rather, His presence. And let us cry out to Him in our suffering, knowing that He is near, and that He loves us so much.