Psalms 28:1--Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. KJV
There are times when God will speak to you and then be silent. Silence does not mean you have been forsaken by God. It simply means that God has spoken, and now is the time to allow the seed that He spoke to germinate and come to pass.
Silence is not the same as peace. Silence is the absence of
noise, but peace is the presence of God! While you are going
through "silent times," you should focus on inner peace and the work God is seeking to do.
Inner peace produces outward confidence in the face of negative
circumstances so that we can go forward in the assurance that
even though tribulation is coming against us, we are more
than conquerors over it!
The biblical meaning of peace never means there will be no troubles or problems.
Peace is not the absence of negatives but the presence of
positives. The peace of God is inward and spiritual and is never
controlled by negative circumstances or events.
Poverty, sickness, debt or death can't override the "peace that surpasses all understanding"!
Silent times should be the time you spend as time of reflection, introspection
and listening. The quieter we become, the more we hear.
However, we cannot rush the silent times to an end; they end when God's purpose has come to pass..
Silent times should be times of transition. Transition is always
uncomfortable and seems to never end. We must ENDURE the
silent times and not move out of God's will! Whenever you see the word endure, it means that there is no short cut through it or a way around it. It must be endured.
You cannot escape or get around what must be endured.
We are told to ENDURE unto the end. (Matt. 24:13)
We are told to ENDURE persecution and tribulation. (II Th. 1:4-10)
We are told to ENDURE hardness. (II Tim. 2:1-3)
We are told to ENDURE affliction. (II Tim. 4:5)
We are told to ENDURE chastening. (Heb. 12:7)
Now, here are some things for you to concentrate on and see what God is saying to you during the silent times:
Is my life really submitted to God?
Have I learned my lesson?
What is God trying to teach me?
Am I humble enough to be teachable?
Has the fruit of patience been sufficiently developed in me?
Do I still have an appetite for the world in me?
Did I properly respond to the last thing God told me to do?
Have I attained a deeper faith?
Is my attitude right toward God and others?
Am I harboring unforgiveness?
What am I becoming?
Have I sufficiently developed and matured as a person?
Have I taken the time to minister to the Lord? (Acts 13:2)
During your silent times you should:
1. Practice and develop your gifts. Study.
2. Clarify. Define goals. Reorder priorities.
3. Serve (even while you are hurting).
4. Trust God.
5. Pray
Your silent times should change your life! You should come out
as a new person! When you come out, you should have a new level
of:
Remember, silent times never last, so we should remember, "This thing too shall pass." Time is an irreplaceable commodity, once spent you can't get it back, spend your silent time wisely!
