There is a peace in seeking the counsel of God in prayer for we know that he is all-powerful and there is nothing that he cannot do. But, it is very difficult not to get anxious when we don’t get an immediate answer from God after pouring out our hearts to him.
Scripture tells us in Psalm 84:11 that no good thing does he withhold from those who are his. For that reason, it is the true believer who can hold on to the promises of God even when the darkness surrounds him. No circumstance in life can stop our God who has promised that all things will be used for our good. It is a lie from the pit of hell when the enemy tries to convince you that God doesn’t care about your situation.
Jesus did not come to this earth to save us from all of life’s pain and struggles but to help us rise above our difficulties as we are being transformed into his likeness. He will always meet us in our pain and help us to carry our burdens. There will never be true happiness in this perishing world, so we need to keep or eyes on the things above. Jesus will always be our source of strength and his grace will provide all that we need. When his silence is deafening and your heart is breaking, you need to know that he has not left you.
It is during that time in our struggle when God seems silent that he is doing his best work in us. He is stretching our faith and equipping us to stand against the enemy and the evil of this world. He is working out his purpose which he has prepared in advance to bring us to victory. He has a future for you that is greater than what you can imagine and he alone has the power to make it happen.
If we can remain strong even when we don’t feel the presence of God, then we are shown to be true sons and daughters. Nothing makes the devil flee quicker than when we can praise God in the midst of our painful trials knowing that his love will never fail us. Just remember that despite a financial crisis, a marriage problem, a health issue, an addiction or a heartache, or anything that is giving you pain in your life, God will not let you be defeated and will move the mountains and part the waters that stand in the path that he has set for you.
All those that God has used for greatness have endured the silence of God. In Genesis, Joseph was sold into slavery and unjustly imprisoned for many years. Yet Joseph held still unto the Lord during this period until the time of God’s plan in which he was made second in command of all of Egypt. During that time, he was being transformed from just a shepherd boy to that of royalty.
Moses endured 40 years in the wilderness. Job suffered pain and heartache at the hands of Satan yet was restored as he trusted his God. Daniel held on to God’s promise and survived the lion’s den.
Jesus himself greatly suffered as he endured the Father’s silence on the cross. He was obedient unto death. Yet the silence of God only served to reveal the greatness of God!
There is always power in God’s silence. His word says that he will never leave us or fail us ever so we are never alone in our pain. The stillness of God is his way of strengthening us for he has promised that nothing that comes against us will ever stop his purpose for our life.
God’s plan for us was so important that he sent his only Son to suffer and die for it. Remember that the silence of God is always filled with his strength to take you through whatever comes against you. He will work out all of your problems and give you his peace in the midst of your pain. You can never lose for you were bought at a price. For now, all you need to do is just be still and know that HE IS GOD!
7 comments
Comments feed for this article
July 12, 2009 at 7:44 pm
concernedx2
GOOD WRITING MARIANNE!
I visited this post shortly after midnight this morning and read it through twice. I wanted to comment on that which is written here for certainly it is worthy of comment. I could not think of a thing high enough to make an entry or reply. I went to Sunday School and Church this morning with the intention of coming back to this post.
I am reminded of a peroid of time not long ago that I was going through some self evaluation concerning my accomplishments for Jesus. After tallying up everything, I came up with the grand total; I HAD DONE NOTHING! EVERYTHING HAD BEEN A WASTE OF TIME! THERE WAS NOTHING TO SHOW FOR DECADES OF SERVICE TO THE LORD! I carried that assessment with me for months.
At some point during that time of conflict with the devil, ladies from several states were meeting in Middlesboro Kentucky and my wife was invited to come along with my daughter-in-law, a member of the host church. No one recognized my wife immediately, but when her name was mentioned, a swarm of ladies surrounded her. God had sent a bus load of women from Ohio that I had lead to Jesus and baptized into the kingdom of God. Some of them had been toddlers when I began to pastor them and some were already grandmothers, still serving the Lord. I wasn’t present at that meeting but when I heard the news, it helped a little.
A few days following that incident, I along with my wife and some family members walked into a restaurant in a city in Ohio where I was a stranger. We were seated in an overflow room at one of the larger tables and were served. As we began to eat, a lady from a nearby table was leaving with her party. She excused herself as she stopped by where I was seated.
“Aren’t you Pastor York,” she asked?
“I am,” I replied, not knowing how she might know me.
“You were my Grandmother’s Pastor,” she said. “We are up here from Texas and stopped here for dinner.” She then gave me her Grandmother’s name and said, “I don’t know if you even remember her.”
My heart swelled within me as I heard the name of the most outstanding lady that I have had the good fortune to have ministered to. Such fond memories and such wisdom; it was she who said to the rest of the church upon my arrival to be their new pastor, “DON’T WATCH THE PASTOR, WATCH THE PASTOR’S WIFE, SHE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF PERSON HE IS.” We visited for several minutes and they had to depart, but I was almost restored.
Pat and I talked at length of the ‘chance’ meeting as we traveled back to Tennessee, and I wondered who might have preached Grandmothers funeral. “I don’t recall who they chose to do the services, “I said. “It had to be someone who they held in very high regard; none other would have been allowed to do her services.”
A few days later as I was looking at some of my records, there it was, she had been 90 years old and had two sons, five daughters, 31 grandchildren, 55 great grandchildren, and eight great, great grandchildren. Services would be at 10:30 A.M. with the Rev. Bill York officiating. Oh yes, and she had a Pastor that loves her beyond belief.
Thank you Marianne for allowing me this space to reflect upon this moment in my life that is still so very dear to me. Your words have been a great help!
LikeLike
July 12, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Marianne Lordi
Rev. York, I am so sure that you did the work God called you to do with all of your heart. It resonates so much in all of your writing and teaching. Your love of the gospel just shines through all that you say.
Isn’t it something how the enemy will get you to believe that you did not do enough for God? The truth is that HE failed so he wants us to feel like we did too. When God doesn’t give us an answer or seems silent at times, it can become a time of doubt. Yet God only steps back to watch as we grow into the faith that he is renewing in us day by day. It is not always easy, but God has a purpose for all that we go through and the time waiting on him is actually a big part of the answer to our prayers.
I really appreciate your teachings and pray that God continues to work through you in a big way. Bless you for your faithfulness.
LikeLike
December 2, 2009 at 4:14 am
Esther
Thank you for the update and great word of God. I needed to pour what i feel right now. I have been trusted the Lord for a Visa to travel for further studies. This morning when i came to the office, i read the mail from the High commission and it did not give me a smile. I was about to give up on the dream that the Lord had put in my heart. The Commission is requesting for other documents and i trust that the Lord who began this good work, shall indeed bring it to pass. You have said it simply, stand still and know that He is God. Sometimes doubt crowds our thoughts and the devil tries to fully convince us that it won’t work, that is exactly what happened to me 2hrs ago, but i choose to trust Him, to rejoice, because the Lord has allowed me to be considered for a Visa and thus they need more info.
Right now, i even have the strength to take the necessary steps to make sure i have everything that i need before the deadline.
Thank you so much for this word. The Lord’s word comes in season, this is mine.
May the Good Lord bless you and watch over you as you continue ministering to His people.
LikeLike
March 10, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Marianne Lordi
Esther, I pray by now that things have worked out for you. If your trust is in Christ, he is perfecting the plan he has for your life and nothing can stop it, not even the Visa. May God continue to bless and keep you in his peace as he takes you on the path that he planned long before you were born.
Thank you for your kind words.
LikeLike
May 16, 2012 at 9:15 am
Anonymous
Thank you for writing such powerful words … I am still, and will remain, waiting on God!
LikeLike
May 27, 2012 at 9:17 am
Eugene wilson
Encouraging words I needed that for I’m going thru hard times.
LikeLike
May 27, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Marianne Lordi
Hi Eugene, I am happy that you stopped. Remember that your bad times are always under the authority of Christ when you put your trust in him. I will be praying for you. In the book, Streams in the Desert, L.B. Cowman said, ” God gets his best soldiers ouf the highlands of affliction.”. No matter what you are going through, the victory is still yours because of what Christ did. Be in peace, my friend.
LikeLike