Whilst we are clear that singing and shouting are powerful weapons in our life of faith, we must also acknowledge that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak (Eccl 3:7). What do we do in the times when our silence is called for or when God is silent? How do we cope with silence in a world so filled with noise?
James reminds us that we should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (Js 1:19), and the Preacher in Ecclesiastes reminds us that wisdom in how we speak and what we say is needed. (Eccl 5:2-3, 6:11, 9:17). Learning to listen – to other people and to God – is a vital part of our relationships and can even be a battle strategy (see 2 Kings 18:36). Certainly, Jesus knew how to employ silence wisely (see Is 53:7, 1 Pet 2:23), and our silence is sometimes needed to demonstrate trust in God and a willingness to let Him resolve the difficulties and problems (as he did when the king of Assyria threatened Israel, see 2 Kings 18 & 19).
More difficult for us to understand is God’s silence, however. The Psalmists frequently cry out to God to listen and not be silent (Ps 28:1, 83:1, 35:22) and the prophets also wrestled with God’s silence (Hab 1:13, Amos 8:11, Is 64:12). We often interpret God’s silence as a sign of His displeasure or our sin, but perhaps, as Oswald Chambers suggested, God’s silence is not always a sign of His displeasure but of His trust:
‘Has God trusted you with His silence— a silence that has great meaning? God’s silences are actually His answers. Just think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything comparable to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking Him for a visible answer? God will give you the very blessings you ask if you refuse to go any further without them, but His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into an even more wonderful understanding of Himself. Are you mourning before God because you have not had an audible response? When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible— with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation.’ (‘My Utmost for His Highest’)
The sound of silence need not break us. Instead, it can help us to focus our attention on God and develop in us a faith that trusts God no matter what… a faith that has been purified, refined and can stand the test of trials.
