When I was a child in Sunday School, someone once told me that God answers our prayers in three ways: with a “yes,” a “no,” or a “not yet.” To be clear, I don’t think God’s answers are nearly as neat and tidy as that. His ways are mysterious, far bigger and more cosmic than we could ever perceive. As I look back on that teaching now, I wonder, What about when He just doesn’t answer? or What if His “answer” comes as painful, intense, soul-crushing silence? As for Job, he begins to wonder if God even hears him: “If only I had someone to hear my case! Here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me” (Job 31:35). But Job is not the only figure in Scripture who felt the absence of God.
In John 11, Jesus delays going to heal His friend Lazarus, who then dies. In response, his sister Martha tells Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died” (v.21). Martha had sent for Jesus, and His delay was silence in her ears.
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). But in Psalm 55, David speaks with confidence that God really does hear him, even when he feels alone: “I complain and groan morning, noon, and night, and he hears my voice” (v.17).
In these chapters from Job, the young counselor Elihu is responding to Job’s cry for God to answer. He challenges Job’s pride, suggesting that God’s silence is in response to Job’s pride-filled assertions that he is righteous and does not deserve his situation. Elihu isn’t exactly compassionate toward Job, but he does speak some important truths about God.
Sometimes God is silent. Sometimes He speaks. But He is always just, the standard of all that is good and holy and right. He is the Almighty, the all-knowing, the only Author and Creator and Sustainer of our faith. As Elihu says, “It is impossible for God to do wrong, and for the Almighty to act unjustly” (Job 34:10).
Reading through the book of Job, this question has come to me again and again: Do you trust Him—even when He seems silent? My honest answer is that I try, but most of the time I fail.
I see myself in Job, as he protests, “But I did everything right!”
I see myself in Martha, blaming Jesus for not doing exactly what she wanted Him to do.
I see myself in David, crushed by sin and desperate to see the Lord.
In all things—even His silence—do I trust that He still holds all things together? After all, He is God, and I am not. Therefore, “when God is silent, who can declare him guilty?” (Psalm 55:17). He does not answer to us.
So do I trust the One who spun out the stars, who exhaled Creation and all its glory? Do I trust the One who was born into the dark and cold, who wept blood in Gethsemane, who died a brutal death for me? My only response to His love is to offer mine in return, despite what I see or understand. I believe that one day, I’ll stand before my God in perfect peace, and all the fear and unbelief will be gone. Until then, His Word tells me that He is worthy of my hope and trust. He hears my cries and is not indifferent to my suffering, even when He seems silent.
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51 thoughts on "Elihu’s Appeal to Wisdom"
God hears me always and I will trust and believe He is always faithful!
The lord is my light and salvation whom shall i fear whom shall i be afraid!
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The silence is deafening sometimes.
Say it with me “He is God and I am not!” Every bit of pain, confusion, suffering—I’m letting it all go into the hands of the Almighty. He knows what He’s doing!
These two verses: “It is impossible for God to do wrong, and for the Almighty to act unjustly” (34:10). And “When God is silent, who can declare Him guilty?” (34:29) God is wise, all-knowing, and righteous. There is no wrong in Him. And He cares. So often I cannot see His ways. I cannot understand His plan. But I know His love. How He reached down and rescued me when I was at the end of my rope. And that is what I must cling to when the way seems dark and I am tempted to doubt.
Lord, I need your comfort tonight and in the weeks to come. Our family is going through a shaking, and I pray that you would give me the strength to trust fully in you. Give me peace, Lord. Heal our brokenness. You are merciful, God. And for that I am eternally grateful.
Thank God…He hears my voice even when I complain and groan morning noon and night.
This is such a good reminder during such a busy, hectic time in my life. I sometimes find myself trying so hard to make things happen. I need to remember to pause, pray, and surrender.
Sometimes, the hardest thing in prayer is deciphering between God’s “no” and “not yet.”
The “no” offers closure vs the “not yet” offers hope down the line, but it’s sometimes hard to tell the subtle difference and whether my continuing to pray for one way is still aligned to God when He doesn’t exactly tell me “no, My grace is sufficient for you.”
But I loved how David defined prayer – it doesn’t have to be something that sounds grand and eloquent as we come before God. “Calling upon the Lord” is not much more than “complaining and groaning” (my version says murmur) constantly everyday – Oh, that sounds like something I don’t have a problem doing – and He still hears my voice.
God will use you
Even when God is silent I know He hears me and he is right there cheering me on!!! God loves us and is always near to us!!!!
Thank you so much for writing such a powerful message that is convicting and comforting at the same time. This came right when I needed it the most. I am going through the hardest time of my life right now and I don’t understand why the things that are happening are even happening. I started to feel angry and confused at why for the last few years there has been nothing but hurt and chaos going on in my life. But I have to bring myself back to remembering that God is worthy of every minute of my life and every ounce of my devotion. Sometimes we need to be reminded of this, and so I’m thankful for this article for bringing God’s truth to life today.
MOMTOMANY I hope you see this as it wouldn’t let me post beneath your comment :) One of the verses I cross-referenced this morning was Luke 18:1, “ThenJesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” And in Luke 22:32 talks about Jesus praying for Peter that his faith would not fail. Jesus prays the same for us in our waiting, that our faith would not fail and that we would not lose heart. Praying for you today the same as you continue to wait to hear His voice.
You are God alone from before time began.
You were on Your throne, You are God alone.
And right now, in good times and and bad
You are on Your throne, You are God alone.
Unchangebale…unshakeable…unstoppable, that’s what You are. (William McDowell)
This song is on my mind and heart as I read our devotion today. Though there have been many times when I felt God’s “silence” as I’ve called out to Him, I hold onto the TRUTH that HE is on His throne…always.
I have applied for a job I really really want to get and I would be serving the Lord in doing it. Right now, I have to wait for a few weeks to find out whether or not I will receive that position. The waiting is so difficult and there have been times that I cry out to the Lord, begging for this job so I can start my career and my fiancé and I can save money that we will need to start our lives together. I’ve thought about whether or not I trust God, and my honest answer is that I try, but it can be hard sometimes. I want to trust God always, but when He is silent or I have to just be patient, it can be difficult. But I’m learning that no matter where I go or what happens to me in life, God will never ever leave my side. And I trust Him to do just that. ❤️
This word is so timely! So thankful for the reminder of God’s marvelous presence in these times. Even if it seems He’s silent, I will trust in Him.
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Thank you, Jesus, that you are always here for me even when I cannot feel your presence. What a mighty God I serve.
I am in this space wondering where God is and why He is silent. I am trying to hold on to hope and daily pray “Lord help my unbelief”. More often my prayer is “come Lord Jesus” and restore our fractured lives and our fractured lands – oh for the day there will be no more weeping, mourning, sin, brokenness.
Praying for you!
“He is God and I am not.” A hard fact to accept sometimes but one that brings me comfort.
How I underestimate the value of silence… And with 4 small kids, when I get a precious drop of it, what do I fill it with? Information, podcasts, searches to solve the day’s problem? Nonstop phonecalls to fill the air? Father, please teach me to soak in your every word and the pauses, even while the day is in motion around me. You know best when I need to hear your voice.
Learning that filling to empty spaces with sound does not help me hear God. Even if it is godly music. I’m slowly down and quieting down to listening for His voice.
❤️
Amen!
Yes; I too fill my quiet times with information. Lord help us MOMS to just sit still and hear from you. What do you have us to do? We are ready !
❤️
As I enter my third year of infertility, the thought often wanders through my mind, “After three years of immense pain, and crushing heartache, why does God not speak, and why does He not give an answer if He loves you so much?” The first time I heard that thought, I dwelled on it. The second time, I told the enemy just how big my God is.
Even in the midst of the silence, I know that He hears the cry of my heart. His answers might come in different ways…through a friend, through an unexpected email or text. I know He hears me, I know He is ever present beside me, and my heart need not be troubled.
He does hear you and He is present. I walked the Infertility road for 6 years and I allowed myself to feel so alone even though God was there. I am praying for you Sondra Jo.
I know how you feel!
Praying for you today Sondra and Summer! Gosh that road felt soooo lonely, especially when I felt like even God wasn’t listening. May I suggest a book for y’all? I recently read “Remember God” by Annie F Downs, and I wish I would have had it while I was going through all those years of heart ache. Sending lots of love your way.
7 years for me … praying for you
10 for me. A long, hard road to say the least. No answers from doctors, no answers from God. A lot of spiritual turmoil. But still I wait on Him.
I phoned my grandsons (2 & 4 yrs old) and asked them what their Sunday School lesson was for this week.
“Mika (that’s me), There was a person in trouble. His ears didn’t work. He couldn’t hear. He couldn’t even listen. Jesus healed him.” the oldest said.
The word “listen” struck me.
He couldn’t even listen…what an amazing gift, when God gives us ears that listen.
Thank you Father, that You listen and hear perfectly.
May this be another way I become more like You.
Heal me so that I hear. Heal me so that I LISTEN.
Amen Selah.
❤️
The Word LISTEN is used more often every time I am In His Presence❣️ Amen.
For the past couple of months I have felt like God has been silent and it’s been hard to judge Him faithful. I’ve just been floating through the everyday life hoping He’d hear me and answer me. The teaching shows me that he is good, righteous and just even in His silence and he is not indifferent to my pain. I’m comforted
Praying that you have a deep sense of His presence, despite silence in response to prayers. ❤️
Believing without seeing is faith. Trusting God even when I don’t hear his voice is faith. If I believe That His Word is true, I must do both. I the absence of these two senses, may I still reach out to “touch the hem of His garment!” And “taste and see that He is good.”
♥️
Today’s teaching on the First 5 app was about God hearing us too.
@First5App @Proverbs31org For 400 years the Hebrew people were held in Egyptian slavery. As Nehemiah recounts Israel’s history in Chapter 9, he remembers how God was faithful to deliver His people out of bondage in Egypt:http://www.first5.org/plans/Ezra%20and%20Nehemiah/ff_o-o_21
God seems most silent when I’m so busy telling him how hard my circumstances are, making note of every detail (as if He didn’t know) that I don’t take time to listen. I’m so busy talking and recalling every offense and unfair occurrence that I forget the benefit of just sitting in silence. I get reoriented when I remember to be still and know that He is God. In the quiet, He speaks. I need to have ears to hear. Ears tuned in to Him more than they’re tuned in to me. Reorient me, Lord, back to You.
Love ❤️ your thoughts of sitting in silence❣️O How Magnificent and Awesome is our God✝️
Yes. ❤️
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My mother lay in a coma, her last day here in the land of the living. She had been resuscitated twice before and family were told they would not do it a third time…
As many of here 48 immediate family got in cars, on trains on coaches aeroplanes to be by her side in those we now know to be her last hours.. we sat around her ward room sometimes in tears, hearts heavy for whst we knew was coming, sometimes a handful would walk out to stretch legs and do the coffee run.. at times there would just be silence, each of us with our own thoughts, some of us praying…
We were present with Mum, but here’s the thing.. Mum was also present with us.. though in a coma.. she could hear our conversations, she could hear our laughter, she could I bet, recognise the voices of those talking… those there by her bedside… her gift to us as her breathing became laboured and her time close was the tears running down her face as each of us spoke words of love and gratitude over her… her last act as the wonderful mother, grandmother, greatgandmother she was and had been…
I tell you this.. why…
Mum was in a coma.. yet, she could hear us.. she couldn’t respond, she couldn’t touch us, yet she could hear us… she could hear our cries, she could hear our chats as we remembered and reminisced , she knew we were there because of the constant buzz of the family present…she knew we were there because of the love we held for each other, hers for us and us for her..
But God..
How much more the God of all creation can hear us.. whatever the request, the anguish cry, the joy or the heartbreak.. the whys or the whens, He can hear us.. He can… because I think, just like mum, but a more powerful and God loving way He responds in love at the right time, according to His will for our life..
I have got to believe that.. the alternative that the silence is because I have been and done terrible things and a punishment does not sit well with me and my relationship with God..
He loves me and though He may be silent, I know He has my back whatever the situation and He will respond when the time is right.. Amen..
Thank you Lord God for you presence in my life whether I see it or whether you are silent in response to make chats, prayers or cries out to you… Lord I pray that I will forever remember this that you are God and that you have promised NEVER to leave me nor forsake me.. Thank you God.. Thank you for everything.. Thank you. Amen..
Happy Monday to all with love and blessings.. xxx
What a beautiful story. In your loss, the Lord blessed you then and blesses us with its retelling.
Thank you for sharing your story and beautiful words, Tina. Praying and sending much love to your family ❤️
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story ♥️
I went through that with my mom in July. Thank you for sharing your story❤️ Praying for you and your family!