There is a Time for Silence

There is an appointed time for everything. There is a time for every event under heaven—A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted…. A time to be silent and a time to speak. —King Solomon

Solomon wisely taught us that there are seasons in life when we need to speak up, but there are also seasons when we need to be quiet. The prophet Elijah experienced this. When we meet him in I Kings 17, he speaks boldly to King Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. Elijah declares a message from God, “There shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” (I Kings 17:1 NASB) Then God tells Elijah to hide himself at a brook where the ravens will provide for him. Elijah obeyed God and settled in by the brook. He miraculously survived by drinking the brook’s water and eating the bread and meat delivered by ravens. Can you imagine! 

The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly how long Elijah stayed at the brook, but we do know that the famine in the land lasted three and a half years, so it probably wasn’t a short stay. As I have been reading Elijah’s story, I keep wondering—what did he do all day at that brook? He didn’t have any modern conveniences like a phone, TV, laptop, or even radio. It seems God hid Elijah away for a season of silence where all he could do was sit there, waiting on God’s provision and instruction. 

Like Elijah, we all have seasons where God calls us to be quiet. For most of this year, I have felt God calling me to be still, listen, and wait. Typically, I enjoy writing and sharing some of what God is teaching me with others. But for many months, I sensed I needed to pull back. The words of Exodus 14:14 continue to echo in my mind, “The  LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” 

Today, I want to encourage you to consider your season. Is it a time to speak or a time to be silent? Life will have plenty of both. But if you are in a season when God is calling you to be quiet, or you feel like God is silent, I want to encourage you with some lessons God is teaching me about His purpose in our silence. 

1. God uses life’s challenges to draw us closer to Him. 

Challenges can take us by surprise, even leave us breathless, feeling like the wind has been knocked out of us. Earlier this year, I experienced a recurrence of ongoing health issues with an increasing intensity. At first, I was surprised; then, I was frustrated. It felt like my lack of energy was forcing me to stop doing things I wanted to do. My health and a few other circumstances were driving me to a time of quiet, whether I liked it or not. 

Slowly, I realized this time of weakness was an invitation. When I didn’t have the strength, God did. When I couldn’t see a way forward, God was still in control. Maybe you are facing something similar. Loss, pain, or lack may be pushing you to slow down or stop. Like me and like Elijah, you have a choice: will you resist, or will you rest? Can you trust when things don’t go according to your plan? Can you pause in this season and look to God and allow Him to fight your battles?

Silence is a great time to listen and learn, but something I am discovering is that there are times when God only wants stillness. Sometimes, He draws us close to show us His plan, but sometimes, He draws us close just so we can know Him more. If my greatest value in spending time with God is to “get an answer” or “hear a word,” I have missed the most important thing—knowing Him. It is like the well-known account of Mary and Martha found in Luke 10. Martha was serving Jesus well and working hard for Him, which was good. But Mary chose something better, simply being in His presence. 

Sometimes, God calls us to be quiet so we can move from what is good to what is better. God wants us to continue to go deeper; often, a season of silence is how He draws us closer to Him. 

2. Our limitations are a gift.

We don’t like limitations, but we all have them. We have limited time, finances, and abilities. In a culture that loves dreaming big and accomplishing the impossible, it is good to remember that we are finite. While we are 100% responsible for what God has entrusted to us, we cannot control what is outside of our control. That may sound obvious, but I can tell you that I personally have wasted a lot of time fixated on what is outside of my control. And that has only led to frustration, conflict, and restlessness. 

I have heard many leaders talk about how creativity is born from limitations. For example, an organization with limited finances or staffing is forced to find solutions without relying on hiring or spending a lot of money. That limit forces ingenuity and creativity and often yields the best, most productive innovations the company has ever come up with. 

When we face limitations, we have two options. We can accept defeat, or we can narrow our focus. We can bemoan all the things we don’t have, or we can maximize what we do have. I am learning to ask the question, what is in my hands? What am I responsible for right now, today? I have had to let go of some things but also fight for what I wanted most. I’ve had to wrestle to overcome a feeling of helplessness and learn to embrace my limitations. 

That wrestling led me to identify a few things that really mattered and focus my energy on those. I came to those conclusions through much prayer and then by making two lists. One list was what I felt God was calling me to focus on today, and one list was what I needed to give up. That exercise led me to take on a new creative project and put several other ideas and aspirations on hold. 

Do you remember the parable Jesus told about a wealthy man who took a journey but left resources in the hands of three servants? Each servant had a different amount they were responsible for, but each was expected to invest and maximize what was entrusted to them. It turns out the one with the least amount of money buried it out of fear. The master was angry and took the money from him and gave it to the man who had invested wisely, declaring, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.” (Luke 19:26)

It is easy to identify what you don’t have. It is natural to focus on what is missing or on what can go wrong. But when we do, like the fearful man in the parable, we choose a victim mindset. Jesus wants us to understand that whatever is in our hands is what we are responsible for. I am not responsible for what is in someone else’s hands, but I am accountable for multiplying what has been entrusted to me. And when I do, that will open the door for more. 

3. Silence prepares us for what is coming (even if we don’t know what that is).

No season lasts forever. Let’s go back to Elijah in the brook. We don’t know what he was thinking or how he felt during those days, but I am going to guess it was long and lonely. Then, one day, the brook dried up. The space and provision God had given were no more. God spoke to Elijah and told him to go visit a widow. From that unlikely woman, God opened a new source of provision. 

There are times when God pulls us back to prepare us. We don’t know the future, but He does. He sees what is coming and knows what we need. And our greatest need is not physical provision but spiritual depth. Seasons of silence allow us to see Him more clearly and also see ourselves more clearly. We learn to depend on God, and we learn again how much we need Him. 

I also believe God uses our seasons of silence and surrender to show off His glory. We are quick to come up with solutions and fix things. We want to move forward and make our own way. Sometimes, God wants us to be still and see what He can do. Sometimes, God wants it to be clear that He is the One in charge, not us. There are times when He wants to do what only He can do. 

Exodus 14 tells the story of Moses and the Israelites stuck between two insurmountable realities. On one side, the Egyptian army is closing in; on the other, the Red Sea is blocking their way. The people are afraid and cry out to Moses, Wasn’t there a better way out than this? Why didn’t you let us die in the wilderness? Moses replied, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” (Exodus 14:13-1)

Let me repeat that last part: “The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” The same God who was with Moses in the desert and Elijah in the brook is with you and me. He doesn’t need our help to fight our battles. He needs our surrender. Sometimes, all He requires is for us to be still and quiet. Do you believe that? Do you believe that God can and will work on your behalf? Or do you think that you are the only one who can solve the problems you are facing? 

In our walk with God, there are times to act and speak and times to be still and silent. Both should flow out of listening to Him, obeying His words, and surrendering to His will. Right now, if you are in a season of silence, lean in and remember that God is the One in charge, not you. You might be surprised by what value you find in the stillness.