The Silent Approach

What do you do when you don’t hear anything? When you’re waiting on a change or a Word and nothing comes? What is your response? Do you immediately start coming up with your own answers? Do you start surveying all of your friends for their opinions? One of the hardest attributes to gain is patience because we have been constantly influenced by the word “now”.  Because the desire to have things right away has been so ingrained in us, we struggle when we have to wait for things or when we don’t get what we want from God right when we ask. I literally sat for an hour waiting for this entry. I prayed, meditated, sang, sat still and nothing. I started to just not send anything out when I heard the first line. There are so many instances of people waiting on God in the Bible. As a matter of fact, I have written about waiting many times before myself. But today, God gave me the word silence to go along with it. That was actually the first thing I heard but I didn’t think that was it or maybe truthfully, I didn’t want it to be it! Many of us have a problem with waiting but even more of us struggle with not opening our mouths while we wait. So…what about the silent approach?

Often, our breakthroughs and victories are slowed down by the things we say. It could be in a joking way or in sad or angry moment but it doesn’t change what you’re saying. Need an example? Have you ever said, “I don’t have a penny to my name or my money is funny!” While it might be a reality when you said it, that’s what is put out in the atmosphere. You have claimed that reality as your own. After a long process, I finally learned to just shut up. If I don’t have anything positive to say about my situation then I try to keep it to myself or pray about it. I still have moments as we all do but Proverbs 18:21 is true. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those that love it will eat its fruit.” (NKJV) In other words what you say has power to produce life or death in your situation. Be like David and ask God to help you.  He cried out to the Lord, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Ps. 141:3 NKJV) Have you tried the silent approach?

We look to Isaiah 53 all the time when think of all that we gained when Jesus died on the cross for us – healing, forgiveness, peace, etc.  But verse 7 really blessed me today and taught a great lesson on going through hardship in silence. “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.” (NKJV) Think about that. All the time, Jesus was being beaten, spit on, cursed, and more, He did not say a word. He bore His suffering in silence. Now don’t run off in the wrong direction. I’m not saying if you need counseling or you are in an abusive situation, you shouldn’t say anything. I’m talking about going through hard times, struggling in ministry, struggling in your marriage. You don’t have to broadcast your suffering for the sake of others. Sometimes the lesson is in being silent so that you can hear the Lord’s direction and guidance. Your answer could be right there but you are running here, there, and everywhere telling and asking anyone who will listen. If Jesus could go through all that He went through and not say a mumbling word. How much more can we wait and listen? Have you tried the silent approach?

I love how in Psalm 62:5, David speaks to his own soul in the midst of a chapter about finding refuge from oppression and waiting for God’s salvation. He says, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.” (NKJV) When we feel frustration and impatience rise up in our spirit and soul, speak to it! Call up that confidence and hope that you have in God. Don’t allow the restlessness to overcome you and win. Remind yourself that the answer doesn’t lie in you but in God so you really don’t need to give your opinion.  If you have struggled with hearing from the Lord, try the silent approach, you might find that His voice is louder than you’ve ever noticed.

God bless you…AMEN