When God Feels Quiet

Read

Mark 4:35-41 “That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’”

Think

Have you ever sent someone a text that you really needed them to answer? You send the message, watch it say delivered, and then nothing. Five minutes pass. Then twenty. You check your phone again even though you already know there is no notification.

Waiting feels different when the answer matters.

Sometimes following God can feel like that. You pray because something is happening in your life and you genuinely need him. You ask him to help. You ask him to fix it. You ask him to show you what to do. Then it feels quiet.

That is where the disciples find themselves in Mark 4. Jesus tells them to get into a boat and cross the lake. While they are sailing, a massive storm hits. Waves crash over the boat and water starts coming in. Several of these men were fishermen. They knew what being on the water was like, and they believed they were in real danger.

And where is Jesus? Asleep.

Imagine how frustrating that must have felt. The disciples are doing everything they can to keep the boat from going under, and Jesus seems completely silent. But there is something important they are missing. Jesus is still in the boat. His silence does not mean he’s absent.

You might be in a season where you are asking, “God, are you there?” Maybe your family is going through something you never expected. Maybe you are asking God for a friendship to be restored. Maybe school has become overwhelming. Maybe you have prayed about the same thing for months and nothing seems different.

Those questions do not scare God. Scripture is filled with people who cried out when they could not understand what he was doing. Trusting God does not mean pretending you never have questions. It means learning where to take them.

The disciples took theirs directly to Jesus. They woke him up. Their words were not polished or impressive. They were scared and honest. God would rather have your honest prayer than a fake one.

You do not have to clean up your questions before bringing them to God. Tell him when you are scared, frustrated, confused, or tired of waiting. Then remember what the disciples forgot. He is still in the boat.

You may not understand what he is doing yet. You may not know when the storm will end. God’s presence is not measured by how quickly your circumstances change. When God feels quiet, look again. He may feel silent, but he has not left.

Apply

Tell God honestly – Take five minutes today and tell God about one situation where he has felt quiet. Do not try to make your prayer sound impressive. Tell him exactly what you are thinking and feeling, then remind yourself, “God is still with me.”

Pray

God, sometimes I do not understand why you feel quiet when I need you. I have questions, and sometimes I get frustrated when I do not see you doing anything. Help me remember that silence does not mean you have left me. Teach me to trust that you are with me even when I cannot see what you are doing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.