Where Is God When He Is Silent?
Naturally, we wonder where God is when it seems He isn't answering our prayers or when it feels as though He has abandoned us in a hard time. While some might say it's wrong to question God—a "lack of faith," so to speak—I've discovered that it's quite the opposite.
Solidifying Your Safety
Many child psychologists will tell you that children act the worst towards whoever they feel safest with. In other words, a child who knows they are unconditionally loved will test that parent/person because they don't fear being harmed or rejected. The child trusts in the parent's loyalty to the extent that they are reckless with their words and actions. I believe it's the same way for us and God.
Granted, I don't advocate for throwing fits and pushing boundaries for pleasure. Paul warned that we shouldn't abuse grace (Romans 6:15). However, I believe it takes great faith for a finite, flawed human (who has likely been hurt by others) to trust in God's love so much that they know hard, angry, and hurtful questions won't push Him away.
Faith in God's goodness and love leaves us free to discover who He is when our limited, injured, and sometimes offended perception doesn't align with His good and never-changing character.
When asking where God is when He seems silent, we must set a few theological ground rules. First, we must acknowledge God's omnipresence. He is, quite literally, everywhere. As God, He isn't bound by space or matter. He created it, so He has dominion over His relationship to it.
Meanwhile, the New Testament confirms that God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit, indwells every believer (1 Corinthians 6:19). God's presence, through the third being of the Holy Trinity, is here, inside your spirit, convicting you and cheering you on.
These theological cornerstones make it difficult to argue "where" God is, but I wonder if this question is asking something deeper. Instead of asking, "Where is God when He seems so quiet?" I think we are truly asking, "If God is supposed to be with me and for me, then what is He actually doing while He seems silent?"
Once again, if we return to Scripture, we can find a few beautiful hints concerning God's relationship towards us when it seems He's too quiet.
Serving Your Soul
At first, it felt like a copout to share that my favorite chapter of the Bible is Psalm 23. It seems too popular, too "everyday," to mean something personal. Yet, the older I get and the more life I live, the more Psalm 23 settles deep in my bones. It's balmy, hopeful, and refortifying. It's powerful enough to bear the weight of graveside grief. There is, indeed, a beautiful reason that this chapter of the Bible is popular.
Even if you feel overly familiar with all six verses of Psalm 23, let's take it verse by verse and notice where God is and what He is doing:
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. (NIV, emphasis mine)
When it seems God is silent, He's serving your soul. He's guiding you towards peace and keeping you on the right path. He's shielding you in the valleys of death and preparing a way for your victory amid enemies. He's following you, every day of your life, to ensure you are guided safely to His eternal fold.
For an earthly comparison, I like to imagine Jesus as one of the Sherpas who guides brave men and women on their multi-month hike to the top of Mount Everest. The Sherpas are never flashy, but humble. They provide an overview of the journey, but once it begins, they are upfront, leading the way, and can't turn their heads to gab. Talking too much would be detrimental to the hikers. Meanwhile, Sherpas maintain a healthy pace, forcing hikers to pause for hours, even days, as their bodies continuously acclimate to the decreased oxygen due to increased elevation.
In short, a Sherpa is a humble man with incredible knowledge who needs you to trust what he is doing, especially when he is quiet. He needs you to pause, no matter how long, and trust his command to rest. After all, summiting Mount Everest is too dangerous to follow someone who is all talk. A Sherpa's silence is his way of serving your adventure and purpose and keeping you safe.
Allow God to serve you by trusting in His silence.
Restoring What Has Been Lost
I'm a bit of a history nerd, collecting anything WWII that I can get my hands on. My kitchen is decorated with WWII advertisement posters, ration cards, and a Navy ship teapot. I love older pieces of time because they share a story and offer a lesson. They are someone else's retrospect, free for the modern man's taking. Since I enjoy collecting historical pieces, I've learned that restoring and preserving older things is delicate. It requires skill, knowledge, steadiness, and a quiet space for concentration.
One reason historical preservationists need a silent workspace is the level of assessment and decision-making required. There are many ways to restore a historical artifact, but only one is best to ensure the precious piece withstands the test of time.
God is omniscient and forever knows the best way to preserve our hearts and souls, but perhaps He, too, craves the quiet as He concentrates on our delicate frames. As humans, we like to believe that if we had all the answers from God, we could preserve ourselves. We could make faith make sense and better understand how to withstand life's hardest moments. But we are sustained and preserved through His gentle hands, and if a quiet workspace is what He uses to fortify our faith, so be it.
"'But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the LORD, 'because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.' "This is what the LORD says: 'I will restore the fortunes of Jacob's tents and have compassion on his dwellings; the city will be rebuilt on her ruins, and the palace will stand in its proper place. From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained." Jeremiah 30:17-19
The Nature of a Mysterious God
Friend, when you want to question where God is when He seems silent, I encourage you to ask Him. Our God stands out from all other gods because of His longing to be in constant communion with us. He isn't deterred by our limited understanding, nor is He easily angered by our frustration and impatience. I imagine He expects nothing more from imperfect humans living in an imperfect world. Thus, your questions can deepen intimacy with God.
Recognize, however, that silence is often an answer, and while not physically loud, it is a loud response. If we know God's heart, we recognize that His silence is the sound of Him solidifying our safety, serving our souls, and restoring all that has been lost.
Generally, we want God to answer us in a specific, timely manner, but how often do we give Him the quiet space to work things out? How frequently do we step into a situation to steal control or tell God that we know what's best? Furthermore, if we are deeply honest with ourselves, how often do we have the answers or know how to fix our own problems?
When we humbly accept our limitations and recognize that God works outside the bounds of time, space, and need, we can humbly admit that He doesn't have to respond when, how, and where we see fit. He doesn't need to operate within human boundaries to answer human questions or solve human problems. In fact, we go to Him because He's not human. He has an outside, eternal, perfect perspective. So while we know He has solutions, let's trust and truly know He is working things out in His lovely way.
The more I learn about God, the more I discover that I know very little about Him. He's a big, beautiful mystery, and I like Him that way. When God remains unfathomable, He becomes an object of my fascination, even obsession. This mysterious piece of the Messiah gives me reason to spend all my days pursuing Him, asking Him questions, and allowing the process by which He answers to better reveal who He is.
Sometimes, silence is simply God beckoning you on a journey to chase who He is.
And what a fulfilling adventure!
Originally published August 13, 2025.
