SPF 109: God is Not Silent with the Most Important Questions

January 17, 2019

Sometimes we are tempted to ask the question “Why doesn’t God _____” When we are searching for answers, there are two things we need to look at – the attitude of our hearts and the truth that God is actually not silent on the most important questions.

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Life Hack

Tape a roll of duct tape behind your trash can so the lid can open all the way up!

God is NOT Silent

Number 1: When God is silent version 2.0

God may feel silent sometimes. We may be asking and asking and wondering and wondering and the answers are not coming.

We may ask the question why doesn’t God _______?

And when God doesn’t answer how we expect We can go two ways – humbly wait and worship knowing He has given us everything we need in Scripture for faith and practice, or we can get demanding.

The problem with a demanding attitude toward God is that we believe God should bend toward our will, rather than us bend toward His. It is revealing of our own desire to rule over our lives rather than submit to His direction.

Leads to feelings of isolation and that God doesn’t care.

Isolation:

It leads to feelings of isolation because we are drifting from the vine – the source of life and nourishment. Maybe we feel alone or like God has left us because He’s not answering us, and so we try to manufacture answers and direction and it’s lonely and empty.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.

God doesn’t Care:

When we want God to bend to our will and he doesn’t do it, it leads to those feelings that He doesn’t care.

The truth is God does care about us – so much he knows how many hairs are on our head at any given time, so much so that He dwells in us after He regenerates our dead hearts. So much that he forgives all our sin.

Number 2: God is actually not silent when it comes to the most important answers we need

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“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

— Hebrews 1:1-4

What is God not silent about? OUR REDEMPTION! He is not silent about how His plans and now the execution of His plans to save people from their sin.

God has spoken through His creation Hebrews 1:2,10

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“1 Kings says:“After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, ‘What are you doing here Elijah?’” (1 Kings 19:12-13).

In today’s passage, Elijah witnesses a great wind, an earthquake, and a fire. These are awesome sights, but God does not answer him in any of these (vv. 11–12a). Instead, God comes in a whisper (vv. 12b–14) as if to say “Elijah my servant, I, the Lord, am with you even if I am not doing the mighty things you think I should.”
Just as he dealt with Elijah, (and others like Esther and Mordecai) God does not have to appear visibly to be present. Even if we do not feel Him, He is with us and working out His plan in unimaginable ways.”

— Ligonier

One of my favorite Psalms to read when I feel the demanding heart pop up – when the why’s are banging on the door is Psalm 131

Psalm 131

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;

my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.

God is at work in great and marvelous ways. We can lean in and trust Him.