When God Is Silent by Dr. James Woods, Sr.

Psalm 83:1 “Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.”

This Psalm begins as a plea for God to come to the rescue of His people.  It appears to the psalmist that God is ignoring the plight of His people; that God is indifferent to their circumstances, or that God is inactive while they are in the midst of facing difficult situations.
At times we undergo similar experiences.  Sometimes, as we encounter various situations and circumstances, we feel that God just doesn’t care.  We pray that God would intervene.  It may be in situations of sickness, it may be in times of financial distress, it may be in times of family conflicts or in times of just plain personal depression.
These are the times when we most want to hear from God.  But to our dismay, God is Silent.  We cry out in the words of the psalmist, “Keep not thou silence, O God; Hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.”  In other words we are saying; God do not ignore my plight by keeping silent; God do not be indifferent to my circumstances by holding your peace; and God do not be inactive in the face of my distress.
We wonder why God is silent.  Why is He refraining from recognizing our plight; why is He not showing any interest or concern about our circumstances; and why is He not doing anything on our behalf?  We have His Word that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  We have His Word that He will supply all our need according to His riches in glory.  We have His Word that we am more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  Why then is God silent?
When we think that God is ignoring us, that He is indifferent towards us, and that He is inactive in our lives; we are dangerously close to saying that God is not Who He says He is; we are dangerously close to saying that He is unable to do what He says He will do; and we are dangerously close to saying He is not concerned about us.
When God is silent, He is not ignoring His Children.  When God is silent, He is not indifferent towards His Children.  When God is silent He is working on behalf of His loved ones.  What then shall we do when God is silent?  Well, there is one thing we know and three things we should do.
· “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Rom 8:28.
1. We are to “…walk by faith, not by sight” 2 Cor. 5:7.

2. We are to “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Prov. 3:5-6.

3. We are to “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7.
Is He not God Who spoke all things into existence, making something out of nothing?  Is He not God Who declares “I am God and there is none else” Isa 45:22.  Is He not God Who neither slumbers nor sleep.  He is God All-Mighty; God All-Knowing, God Everywhere at the same time.  He is God Who was so concerned about us that He sent His Only Begotten Son to die that we might be saved.