When God Seems Silent

A good friend brought to my attention an intriguing devotional written by Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest. It is based on the John 11:6 Scripture which records the amazing response of Jesus to the news that his good friend Lazarus was dying: "So when He heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was."

My ESV Study Bible has this as a note: "Jesus allowed his friends to go through the sorrow and hardship of the death and mourning of Lazarus because he loved them and wanted them to witness an amazing demonstration of Jesus' power over death... The Lord does not always answer prayers as expected."

Chambers picks up on this theme in his comments on this same verse:

"Has God trusted you with a silence - a silence that is big with meaning? God's silences are His answers. Think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything analogous to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking for a visible answer?"

I am not sure I even know how to wrap my brain around this concept. It certainly is a reversal of what many Christians believe. Most of us have become accustomed to longing for the "clear" answer that we want from God. But silence from God as a privilege? That certainly is a new thought, but maybe it is consistent with our being still before God, and trusting Him with what He has said in the Scriptures. What are your thoughts? Is silence a precious gift?

If Oswald Chambers is correct, it sure would give hope to so many of us who are still waiting.