Dark...Stormy... (continued)

* What do we do when we are out on that limb (our own "dark and stormy night”) and we pray and only get the sound of static?
* What do we do when we lose a child to violence and all we hear when we pray is the echoed sounds of our sobs?
* What do we do when we lose a parent suddenly and our cry for answers are only answered in silence?
* What do we do when we are backed into a corner financially or legally through no mistake of our own and the only response from God- is no response at all?
* Why, at times, is God so silent when we hurt or are so badly in need of Him?

I believe, sometimes, in the midst of all of our grief and confusion we cannot hear God because we are not focusing on His voice. We are so numb because of our current situation we can not see or hear Him.

I believe, sometimes, in the midst of all of our grief and confusion we cannot hear God because we are expecting one answer when God gives us another. We so much want God to give us the answer we expect, we don’t hear what He says.

I believe, sometimes, in the midst of all of our grief and confusion we cannot hear God because He doesn’t need to speak!! He has given us years of instruction and discernment and love. He knows we can deal with the situation…so…He doesn’t need to tell us the answers because we already have them.

One of the greatest, yet soooo overlooked, promises we have in scripture is found in I Corinthians 10:13- “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” When we face the temptation of losing faith in God because we cannot hear Him…we just need to focus on Him and we will know the way out!!!

That is not to say there will be no pain…there might be, but the pain is a pain we can endure, the grief is a grief we can endure, the silence is a silence we can endure. God is there, all the time!!

One other scripture I want to leave with you is Hebrews 2:18, concerning Jesus and being out on a limb…”For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”