“Our limited vision and understanding don’t allow us to see how God is working during the silence, but the one thing we can do is trust in Him.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 12, 2025
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
The term “dead of winter” refers to the coldest part of winter, usually in January here in the United States. Many of you, like me, may look outside right now and all we see are the barren trees that shed their beautiful leaves a few months ago. The ground’s lush green grass has disappeared, and the flowers are nowhere to be seen. In some areas of the country, others may look out their back window to see inches of snow, not a green plant anywhere in sight. While the Earth’s surface may appear dead and dormant, a lot of activity is happening underground.
The same can be said of us. Are you in a place where you feel like you’re in a spiritual drought? Have you not heard from the Lord lately? Does He seem far away, and you’re left wondering where He is?
We all go through winter periods in life when God seems silent. But just like the Earth, even though things may look dead and dormant, underneath the dark, hard soil, there is much activity taking place. Roots are being driven deep into the ground, preparing to flourish. The cold and the quiet all have a purpose.
During these times when God is quiet, He may be waiting. When God is silent, we must remember that He hasn’t left us. He may be waiting for just the right time to speak to us as He promised He would never leave us nor forsake us—this includes during those periods of time when our spiritual lives seem like the dead of winter and He is quiet.
During these times, God is working for us. “Jesus replied, ‘You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.'” John 13:7, NLT. Our limited vision and understanding don’t allow us to see how God is working during the silence, but the one thing we can do is trust in Him. In fact, it may be exactly in those moments when we least understand Him that He is working the most on our behalf.
During these quiet times, we can continue to pray and seek the Lord. We can be honest with Him about how we are feeling and how much we miss hearing from him. We can remember all the times God has spoken to us and directed our paths, trusting He will do so again in His timing. A visiting pastor who recently spoke at our church said, “When you hear His silence and feel His absence, trust His presence.” Soon, the dead of winter will turn into spring’s rich beauty.
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him” (Psalm 62:5).
Prayer
Father, help me to remember that your silence is not a sign you’ve deserted me, but it’s a time you are working mightily on my behalf.
Application
If you are in a period where God is quiet, use this time to dig deeper into His word and lean into His presence, whether you feel Him or not.
Related Reading
Isaiah 30:15; Psalm 65:1; Revelation 8:1
Worship Resource
Elevation Worship: Quiet
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