The Silence of God

Finding Faith in Seasons of Doubt

Have you ever prayed and felt like your words were echoing in an empty room?

Maybe you were facing a crisis—a job loss, a broken relationship, or lingering grief—and you cried out to God, only to hear…nothing. The silence of God can be disorienting, even painful. It’s as if the One who promises to be near has stepped out of reach.

I have walked through these seasons of doubt and confusion, wrestling with questions like, “Is God listening?” or “Have I done something wrong?” If you are wrestling with questions like these, know that you are not alone.

Not only have I, and many others, have had similar experiences, the Bible has many stories of faithful people who face God’s silence and discovered that doubt, far from being the enemy of faith, can be a doorway to a deeper trust.

When God Seems Absent

The Bible doesn’t say away from the reality of God’s silence. Take Job, a man who lost everything—his wealth, his children, his health. In Job 23:8-10, Job laments:

If I go east, he is not there, and if I go west, I cannot perceive him. When he is at work to the north, I cannot see him; when he turns south, I cannot find him. Yet he knows the way I have taken; when he has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold. (CSB)

Job looks for God in every direction, but God is not to be found. He seems to be absent. Yet, in his frustration, Job holds on to a truth: God sees him, and this trial will refine his faith like gold in a fire.

Likewise, King David, faced seasons of divine silence. In Psalm 13, David cries out, “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (v.1; CSB). David’s honest words are jarring. He doesn’t pretend to have it all together; rather, he pours his doubt and despair out before God. It is crucial to note that by the end of the psalm there is a shift: 

But I have trusted in your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.

I will sing to the LORD because he has treated me generously. — Psalms 13:5-6 (CSB)

David’s journey through doubt leads him back to trust, not because his circumstances change, but because he remembers God’s character.

These examples remind us that doubt is a normal part of faith. As I have reflected on discipleship, I have realized that assuming we will always feel God’s presence can actually hurt our spiritual formation. True faith often grows in the dark, when we learn to trust God, not for what we hope for, but based on His character.

The Purpose of Silence

Why does God sometimes seem silent?

C. S. Lewis, in his reflections on pain and suffering, entitled The Problem of Pain, offers this helpful insight:

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

But what about when pain itself feels like silence? Lewis suggests that God’s silence can be a sort of a test. Not a cruel test, but a refining test. A test that invites us to trust God’s character when we can’t hear His voice and witness His guidance. In moments of silence, we are forced to wrestle with questions like: Do I believe God is good, even when I can’t see Him? Will I trust His love, even when I don’t feel it?

This testing isn’t about earning God’s favor, it’s about strengthening our reliance on Him. Like Job, we learn that God knows our way, even when we don’t see Him. Like David, we discover that His love continues, even when our feelings are weak. God’s silence isn’t abandonment—it’s an invitation to a faith that is rooted in His unchanging nature, not our momentary emotions.

Navigating the Silence

So, how do we walk through seasons of God’s silence without losing hope? Here are a few practices that can help:

1. Pray a Lament: Follow David’s example of Psalm 13. Write or speak a prayer that acknowledges your doubts, fears, and frustrations. Be honest with God—He can handle it. Then, following David’s example, end with a statement of trust, even if it feels small. Lamenting isn’t complaining; it’s bringing your whole self to God.
2. Seek Community: Doubt can feel isolating, but you don’t have to face it alone. Share your struggles with a friend, pastor, or small group. The purpose of the Church is meant to bear one another’s burdens. A listening ear can remind you of God’s presence when you can’t sense it yourself.
3. Journal Your Journey: Writing can be a useful way to process doubt. I believe that by putting your thoughts on paper helps you see patterns, pray through questions, and remember God’s faithfulness. Try writing a letter to God about your doubts, then reread it later to reflect on how He has been at work.
4. Rest in God’s Promises: When God feels silent, anchor yourself in scripture. Passages like Isaiah 41:10 or Hebrews 13:5 remind us of God’s presence, even when we can’t feel it.

A Step Toward Vulnerability

God’s silence doesn’t mean His absence. It’s often in these seasons that our faith is stretched, refined, and matured. Like Job, we can’t trust that God sees our path. Like David, we can choose to rest in His stead fast love. And like countless believers before us, we can find that doubt, when faced honestly, leads to a stronger, more resilient faith.

Here is my challenge to you: Take a small step toward vulnerability. Write a short lament as a prayer, pouring your doubts to God and ending  with a statement of trust. Or, share your questions with a trusted friend and ask them to pray for you. These acts of courage don’t erase the feelings of God’s silence and absence, but they open the door for God to meet you in it. 

What is one way you have experienced God’s silence, and how did it shape your faith? I would love to hear your thoughts. Let’s walk this journey of faith together, trusting that even in the quiet, God is near.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

God’s Deliverer

When God Seems Silent

What is the Bible about? If you were with us back in 2021 when we walked through The Story, you know the answer: the Bible is about God’s redemption—His rescue—of His good creation. Genesis opens with the beauty of creation in chapters 1 and 2, then traces the tragic arc of human rebellion and corruption in chapters 3–11. But in Genesis 12, we discover God’s rescue plan: a man named Abram (later Abraham) and his descendants. The rest of Genesis follows Abraham’s family to Egypt, where God saves them from famine and blesses them.

That brings us to Exodus, the second book of the Bible and a cornerstone of Scripture. Exodus is more than a story of deliverance—it’s the story of how God comes to dwell with His people. Its images and themes echo throughout the New Testament, making it essential reading for anyone who wants to understand God’s redemptive work.

Through it all, one truth remains: God is faithful to His people, no matter what. God takes the initiative to save, to rescue, and He keeps His promises.

The Stage Is Set

Before diving into Exodus 1–2, we need to remember how Israel ended up in Egypt. Genesis 37–50 focuses on Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son. Joseph was sold into slavery, ended up in Egypt, and through God’s empowerment, saved Egypt and his family during a worldwide famine. That’s why Abraham’s descendants are in Egypt rather than the Promised Land when Exodus begins.

God’s Faithfulness in Oppression (Exodus 1:1–14)

The book opens with God’s faithfulness: He multiplies Israel, just as He promised in Genesis. But Pharaoh—who saw himself as god—opposes this blessing. He imposes hard labor, forcing the Israelites to build cities for his glory rather than live for God’s.

This sets up the central conflict of Exodus: God blessing while the powers of this world oppress. Notice this crucial point: God’s faithfulness isn’t shown by immediate deliverance—it’s shown in blessing amid hardship. He doesn’t remove oppression immediately, but He sustains Israel with children and resources. God’s faithfulness isn’t only in dramatic miracles—it’s in the small, everyday ways that allow His people to live faithfully in a hostile world.

The Courage to Fear God (Exodus 1:15–22)

God’s covenant blessing continues to be children. Pharaoh (representing the gods of the world) tries to destroy that blessing—killing the boys and enslaving the girls to erase Israel’s identity.

But God’s blessing shows up in courage. Two Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, fear God more than Pharaoh. They refuse to kill the boys, and God blesses them. Throughout history, God raises up courageous people to carry out His mission.

Even when Pharaoh escalates, commanding all boys be thrown into the Nile, God preserves His people. He is faithful. That doesn’t mean He immediately changes the circumstances. Like Shiphrah and Puah, we are called to be bold and courageous, faithful through hardship.

God Prepares a Deliverer (Exodus 2:1–10)

After 400 years, God gives the deliverer—but this is unknown to the Israelites. Moses’ birth doesn’t immediately change their oppression. Yet in the midst of Pharaoh’s decree, God provides a way for the deliverer to be protected and prepared.

Here’s a key truth: your circumstances are not necessarily your preparation. God was protecting Moses, while the rest of Israel had to remain faithful. Don’t give up on God because He hasn’t given you a “Moses assignment.” Stay faithful through the oppression, and you will experience His provision.

Moses: A Man Between Worlds (Exodus 2:11–25)

Moses grew up knowing his Hebrew heritage and had  a spirit of justice in his heart—but that spirit showed up wrongly when he killed an Egyptian. He didn’t earn acceptance from his people; he fled to Midian. There, his sense of justice was redirected, and he learned the humility of a shepherd. Yet he remained a man searching for identity—a foreigner in a foreign land.

More time passes as God prepares for the right moment. God doesn’t meet our time expectations, but He is still at work. Did God forget His covenant with Abraham until Israel cried out? No. The first chapters of Exodus remind us that God was faithful all along—waiting until the stage was set for a showdown with the gods of the world.

Keep your eyes on God’s blessings, because He works in all circumstances—even oppression, sickness, and hardship. We might miss His blessings if we assume He is obligated to act according to our timetable.

When God Feels Silent

In January 2021, my Uncle Tim was dying from melanoma and a brain tumor. We prayed earnestly for healing. That miracle never came. One week later, my Grandpa Steele died. No rescue. No dramatic deliverance. No Exodus moment.

So what do we do when God seems silent? When the sea doesn’t part? When Egypt is where we remain?

That following Sunday in church my Grandma Steele stood up during prayer time and said, “I thank God for heaven.”

This is similar to the answer we find in Hebrews 11:39–40: 

“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”

God does not always rescue His people from hardship—but He always remains faithful through it. Israel waited 400 years. God was blessing them, but not yet delivering them. Faithfulness isn’t measured by how quickly circumstances change; it’s measured by His presence, provision, and promises—even when outwardly nothing seems different.

The Waiting Generations

God is at work even when He seems silent. We want to be the Exodus generation—the ones who see the plagues, the parted sea, the victory song. But most of us are part of the waiting generations—living faithfully, raising children, fearing God, resisting evil, trusting His promises without seeing rescue. And Scripture says faith still matters.

This week, the challenge is simple: be faithful where God has placed you, whether or not rescue comes. Fear God more than Pharaoh. Look for His blessings amid hardship. Trust that He is at work, even when you don’t see deliverance. Stay obedient, courageous, and faithful.

You may not be Moses. You may be Shiphrah or Puah. You may be an unnamed Israelite building bricks in the sun. But God sees you. He remembers His covenant. And He is at work.

A Final Word

Silence does not mean absence. Waiting does not mean forgotten. Faithfulness is never wasted in the hands of a faithful God. The same God working quietly in Exodus 1 is the God who acts powerfully in Exodus 14—and He is the same God we serve today.

As you reflect, respond in three ways: thank God for your blessings, ask for strength to remain faithful, and pray that He preserves His people. And if God is calling you to follow Jesus, don’t wait. Now is the time.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Whose Moral Lens Are We Using?

ICE, Politics, and Following Jesus

I want to ask you a question: What if the reason we can’t agree on what’s happening around us isn’t because one side is moral and the other isn’t—but because we’re using different moral lenses to see the world?

Jonathan Haidt’s work on moral foundations, which he lays out in The Righteous Mind, has been helpful for me in moments like this. He argues that we hold different moral values, which leads us to weigh situations differently. For instance, conservatives tend to emphasize values like authority, order, and rule of law. Liberals, on the other hand, tend to emphasize compassion, care, and protection from harm. When a political issue flares up, both sides often believe they hold the moral high ground, when in reality they are interpreting the same situation through different frameworks.

This moral matrix helps me understand the very different responses we’re seeing in the current conversations about ICE operating here in Minnesota.

Many conservatives are viewing this through the lens of authority: laws exist, laws are broken, and the government has the responsibility to enforce them. From that perspective, ICE activity is not only justified—it’s necessary. Many liberals, on the other hand, are viewing this through the lens of compassion: entire communities are living in fear, families are anxious, and people who have done nothing wrong feel targeted simply because of who they are or where they’re from. From that perspective, something is deeply wrong.

Both sides are making moral judgments. Both believe they are right. And both are, at least in part, talking past each other. Part of having an actual discussion is taking time to understand the other person’s position. Too often, we are busy forming our next point or waiting for a gotcha moment, and we miss what the other person is actually saying—let alone respecting them enough to truly understand their concerns. This is why our political discussions so often feel more like debates than conversations.

But here’s where this becomes more than a theoretical discussion for me.

Recently, I attended an event with the Burmese church we partner with. At one point, several people showed us their passports and immigration documents—papers they are now carrying with them at all times. These are men and women who are here legally, many of whom have gone through the long process of becoming citizens. And yet they are genuinely afraid that if they are stopped without documentation on hand, they could be detained or taken away.

This isn’t an abstract policy debate. These are real people. Neighbors. Brothers and sisters in Christ. People who are innocent of any wrongdoing, living with a constant, low-level fear that shapes how they move through daily life.

So what are we, as followers of Jesus, supposed to do?

First, we need to remember that while we are citizens of a country, we are not required to baptize every action of the government. Supporting law and order does not mean suspending discernment. Scripture reminds us that our ultimate loyalty lies elsewhere: “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).  Conservatives, especially, would do well to apply the same healthy suspicion to ICE operations that they often apply to other federal agencies—whether it’s the Department of Education, the FDA, or public health authorities during COVID. Questioning how power is exercised is not rebellion; it’s wisdom. Liberals, on the other hand, need to resist the temptation to assume that good intentions automatically lead to good outcomes. Helping immigrants maintain dignity  also requires careful attention to how policies are implemented, funded, and handled at the local level.

Second, we must take seriously the biblical mandate to love our neighbor. Scripture is uncomfortably clear on this point. God’s people are repeatedly called to care for the foreigner, the sojourner, and the vulnerable—not because of their legal status, but because of God’s character. “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself” (Leviticus 19:34). We may have limited influence over what the government does, but we have tremendous influence over how we treat the immigrant and refugee who lives next door. Whether someone is here legally or not, our calling remains the same: love them, help them, and show them Jesus.

Third, we pray. Not as a last resort, but as an act of allegiance. We pray for wisdom as we navigate turbulent political waters. We pray for guidance in how to love faithfully and courageously. We pray for understanding—of our neighbors, of our own blind spots, and of where God is calling us to stand and act.

As Christians, we cannot afford to be swept along by the political winds of our culture. When our instincts, reactions, and talking points sound indistinguishable from Republicans or Democrats, something has gone wrong. Our primary citizenship is not red or blue—it is rooted in our allegiance to King Jesus and being citizens of the Kingdom of God.

That allegiance must shape how we see, how we speak, and how we love. And in moments like this, it may mean refusing the false choice between authority and compassion, choosing instead the narrow and demanding way of Jesus.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Be the Good. Enjoy the Good.

It is true that we live in a sin-corrupted world. We don’t have to look far to see it—headlines filled with violence, social media arguments that divide more than they connect, and the personal struggles that weigh on our hearts. The Bible is clear that creation itself is groaning under the weight of sin (Romans 8:22). Brokenness touches every part of life. We feel it in our relationships, in our work, and even within ourselves. It’s easy to become cynical, to assume that everything is bad and everyone is selfish.

Yet that’s not the full story. Before sin entered the world, God created a good world. Over and over again in Genesis 1, God looked at what He made and declared it good. The world was filled with beauty, harmony, and purpose. Human beings were designed to live in loving relationship with God, with one another, and with creation itself. That goodness was not completely erased by sin—it was corrupted, yes, but not destroyed. God’s fingerprints are still visible all around us, and His image remains in the people He made.

This means that even in a fallen world, goodness still shines through. When a parent comforts a hurting child, when friends laugh together over a meal, when a community rallies to help someone in need—those moments remind us that the light has not been extinguished. The goodness we experience is a reflection of God’s enduring grace. As James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above.”

But there’s another side to this truth: we are called to be part of that goodness. In a world that often amplifies anger, fear, and division, followers of Jesus are called to embody His love and bring light to dark places. Jesus told His disciples, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). That means the way we speak, serve, forgive, and care for others can reveal God’s goodness to those who’ve forgotten it exists.

Being the good doesn’t mean pretending the bad isn’t real. It means standing firm in the hope that goodness is stronger than evil, because God is still at work redeeming His creation. It’s showing kindness when others are harsh, choosing honesty when deceit would be easier, and practicing gratitude when life feels unfair. Each small act of goodness pushes back against the darkness and points toward the Kingdom that is coming.

And as we be the good, we must also learn to enjoy the good. Many of us are quick to serve but slow to rest. We rush past moments of beauty without taking them in. Yet part of living faithfully in a broken world is learning to receive and celebrate the good gifts God still gives. Savoring a sunset, sharing a meal with loved ones, or enjoying a moment of laughter are not trivial pleasures—they are reminders of God’s ongoing grace and the promise that one day all things will be made new.

Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:8 to think about whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. In other words, fix your heart on what reflects God’s goodness. When we do that, our perspective changes. We become people who see not only the sin that corrupts the world but also the grace that sustains it.

So today, remember this: the world may be broken, but it’s not beyond hope. God’s goodness is woven into the very fabric of creation, and His Spirit is still at work bringing redemption and renewal. Let your life be a reflection of that goodness.

Be the good. Enjoy the good. And trust that one day, the world will be good again.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Sunday Prayer: Enduring Troubles

1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT)

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Gracious Father,

We come to You with hearts that choose joy, even when the road is hard. You see the trials we are enduring, and You remind us that they are not forever. Help us to trust that in spite of these trials there is a joy greater than our pain and a hope that cannot be taken away.

When our faith is tested, mold us into the people You desire us to be. Like gold purified by fire, shape our hearts through these struggles so that what remains is genuine, strong, and pleasing to You. When doubts rise and weariness sets in, anchor us in the truth that our faith is far more precious than anything this world can offer.

Give us endurance to remain strong, courage to keep believing, and eyes to see how You are at work even now. May our lives, tested and proven through trial, bring praise, glory, and honor to You. And may we live in hopeful expectation of the day when Jesus Christ is revealed in all His glory.

We place our trust in You, knowing You are faithful to finish the work You have begun.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.









Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.