Sometimes I Don’t Feel Him: Lent (part seven)
Happy Monday to you all, and welcome back to the series of posts about this season of Lent. In case you haven’t read them yet, check them out and get up to speed on the wrestling. They’re linked below for you convenience.
- Here’s to Death: Lent (part one)
- Here’s to Death: Lent (part two)
- Take Time to Stop: Lent (part three)
- Gaining Wisdom: Lent (part four)
- A Break in the Clouds: Lent (part five)
- Be Thawed & Rejoice: Lent (part six)
Ok, back to today…
You know, sometimes Friday’s quote doesn’t seem believable to me. Sometimes there’s
only one deafening sound from God in times of great need, and it’s this:
Silence.
During this season of dying, which has felt really close to what I imagine the real thing feels like, I’ve had my share of the [seemingly] silent treatment from God. Why doesn’t he speak up when I’m crying out? Why can’t I seem to find him anywhere?
Is he testing me? Is the silence a part of some sort of lesson? Perhaps it’s to show me why faith is necessary.
I have a feeling that I’m just not paying attention.
Romans 1:20 says:
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
You see, I really have no excuse for missing out on seeing his power displayed and his nature personified. For one, He’s everywhere. I’ve seen his power on display at the Grand Canyon and the ocean. And I’ve seen glimpses of his nature in my wife’s patience with me(you have no idea), my co-worker’s compassion for those struggling, and Eliud, whom I’ve never even met.
Maybe I should lift my head up and take everything in. Maybe I should pay closer attention to all of the reminders that are around me. I feel like the image above conveys what he says to us…
Feel free to look around. You’ll see me.
Where are you seeing God in your life right now?
I often think of Job and the time of silence he experienced when he was going through loss after loss after loss…I think about how, what was being revealed, was the true faithfulness of his character–will we believe when everything is stripped from us and our God is silent still~
I’d like to say yes to that question, but I don’t believe I would be too honest in that answer. And I want this to be an honest blog. Bummer…
There have been times lately when I’ve wanted to pray for suffering, because I feel like I’ve gotten too comfortable. I have to admit, though, that I’m a little afraid to say that prayer. And my human nature wants to think that if I don’t say it he won’t hear it.
What has always amazed me is to think about the 400 year silence period between Malachi and Matthew. Today, we can quickly flip the page that separates the Old Testament from the New Testament; but in that flip of a page there was a 400 year silence where the children of Israel did not receive a new message from the Lord. For 400 years, they held a book who ended with this verse:
He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.
Malachi 4:6
Wow… I can only image what it must’ve been when the silence was broken when John the Baptist speaks and says, “Behold the Lamb of God,” at the baptismal of Jesus & as He begins his earthly ministry. Silence is powerful. Yet, in His silence, there is always a plan.
Cesar- Great comment, man…I should’ve just had you write this post!
My imagination ran when I read that about the 400 year silence…unbelievable. Think about how great we have it, considering we know that Jesus came and that he’s coming back. Yet so often I feel like it may be another 400 years.
Help my unbelief…
I hear ya with the silence.
But here’s how I steady myself with Him –
if I think of the Lent experience as being in that metaphorical desert, then I have to accept that ‘night’ happens even in the desert. It goes dark and quiet. And in those moments, it’s very easy for me (you, us) to call out, “Where are you?” when He’s really a few feet away, deep in thought too.
-John
As always, thanks for your comments, John. This one hit me right between the eyes. You make a very good point here, and I love the ‘night’ reference….good stuff.
This season, I’m thinking on the Lent season as a participation in Christ’s death, ultimately leading to the celebration of his resurrection. I think of Jesus when he said, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” while hanging on the cross. What was to come was the resurrection, and Jesus knew that, but in the moment he felt as if the Father had forgotten about him. That’s what I’ve been thinking of when I’ve felt the silence.