Being told "God is “silent” during a storm."

Did you catch the quotes there?? Let me explain, I think it’ll be worth your time.

I’m going to take you on a visual tour of a new way to think about the whole God being silent ordeal and those mantras out there that we’ve all been through at least a couple of dozen times in our lives.

First, no. He is never silent, even when you don’t hear Him, no matter what anyone tries to say.

The other night, my daughter was not doing well. For background, I am her caregiver, and medically, things often go south on her, and we were packing for the Antarctic that night.

I was trying to talk, encourage, comfort, and distract her. I brought it all that night, the whole nine yards, but nothing was helping. So I sat there for a few minutes feeling defeated and a bit useless, and just watched her.

Then a thought popped in my head, so I started scooching my pillows and butt out of the way and asked her to come over. I had moved around so she could sit on the recliner with me and curl up so I could hold her, like I had done when she was a child.

We sat there like that for a long time that night. I held her tight, rocked her, used my hands to rub her back, squeezed her hand, and soothed her. I just kept sitting there holding her, and it felt right to be doing that at that moment for her.

Many like to say God is silent during our storms for incorrect reasons, and that can be harmful.

When we can’t hear Him talking, He is somehow “testing us.” He wants to see “how strong” we are on our own. He is silent because He is “teaching us a lesson.” (btw, a crap storm going on in your life is not the same as God trying to talk you and you being dense. Don’t worry I put myself in that category and that’s not the issue I’m addressing here.)

Believe it or not, not every storm is a deliberate action, test, or strength challenge from God. Storms naturally occur because of life. But we can turn those into lessons as we survive each one with God’s help.

Here’s the thing to realize: when you are in a storm, and in the back of your mind, you remember all those phrases said about God being silent. They are not all good and have the potential to worsen your loneliness and damage your relationship with God because you are thinking about it the wrong way.

There’s a big difference between quiet and true silence.

For God to be truly and utterly silent towards you, He would have no choice but to leave, not just you, but everyone, everywhere, all for all time. As in His presence would have to cease to exist.

Let me give you a visual.

With my daughter that night. I was quiet, but I was never silent. My presence, my touch, my acceptance, and my heartbeat were my communication. Not all situations call for a voice; some call for simply accepting love. Not additional words that the person can’t process properly during their storm.

She needed me to be quiet.

As humans, we are (or should be) aware that we do this all the time in our lives when interacting with other people. We spot cues that let us know when to just shut it for a while. Where do you think we got that natural ability to sense when to be quiet?

In Genesis 1:27 we are told we are created in the image of God. Why would God create humanity without the same set of emotional reasoning as Him? Truly, it would defeat the purpose of us connecting with Him and vice versa if they weren’t the same.

I remember being told once during a depressive storm that God wasn’t talking to me because He was testing me and He wouldn’t talk to me again until I was willing to listen. 🤦‍♀️ Because yes, that apparently is what you should be telling someone during a storm, that you aren’t willing to listen to make them feel better. 🤦‍♀️

Life is always ripe with storms, even if you are the cause. But never ones that He leaves you alone with.

Looking back, I’m surprised I survived that intact because I truly believed God had abandoned me; it was awful. I had no concept of what I know now, and that is God is everywhere and in everything. He is in the comfort of the blanket you are wrapped in, the tissue for your tears, and the pillow you may cry in.

He is quiet because He knows you need the quiet.

Just keep your gaze locked on Him and trust that He knows what you need right now. Don’t strain and frustrate yourself listening for a voice. Trust me, God is perfectly capable of making His voice heard when He wants or when you need it. Take comfort that He is holding you and respecting you. Our minds are all unique and process storms differently.

So, no, God is never silent. Just quiet at times.

Remember this during your next storm, and see it for the way it actually is. Look for the communication that is beyond words and visualize Him holding you like I held my daughter that night.

Sometimes, the most beautiful gift to give someone when they are hurting is your quiet presence.

© Jane Isley

First published in Never Stop Writing on Medium.

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