In times of trials and relief seems nowhere to be found, the presence of God is often questioned. But an author argued that even in moments when He seems silent, God speaks.
Author, surfer, and speaker from the Central Coast of Californian Daniel Hamlin, author of the book, "When Oceans Rise," shared about his own experience which led him to the same predicament.
He recalled that sometime in the past, he felt the LORD was telling him to complete his studies in preparation for the next chapter of his life. But after he finished the program and prayed for His plan, he did not hear anything - a scenario that tempted him to question the faithfulness of God.
"So does God ever just decide to not answer us or to simply not speak? If I'm answering solely based on my feelings, then I'd be quick to answer yes. But I've come to the belief that God is always speaking, even if it seems He is being silent," Hamlin wrote on The Christian Post.
"God is speaking because it is part of who He is, part of His nature as God. God is true articulation. But speaking is not the only way God articulates Himself. It would seem then even in silence God is saying something," he added, citing John 1:1.
Hamlin said that the example of this concept is when Jesus was buried on a tomb.
During that moment, His disciples must have thought that they have become "victims of a divine hoax," since after Jesus has proven His identity, He Himself died, crushing their hope.
However, the author stressed that the death of Jesus actually brought victory over man's sin and death itself.
"But while the disciples wrestled with the silence, God was accomplishing His eternal triumph over hell and sin. The silence the disciples heard was actually the articulation of Jesus' eternal victory over death. In retrospect the disciples could see what was taking place when they felt God had gone silent. Rather than silence, He was speaking life to all of eternity," he stated.
Hamlin said that in his own moment of uncertainty, he turned to the Book of Psalms. In the book, he noted that the psalmist often struggles with God's silence. But Psalm 27:13, which the author finds comforting, speaks about David's hope for the LORD's goodness despite his unpleasant circumstance.
He emphasized that the life of David and the "tomb of Christ" have proven the truth of this verse.
"When it seemed God had forgotten about humanity, He was in fact saving it. These truths make me consider the possibility that when God seems silent, perhaps He is accomplishing more than I can imagine," the author continued.
Jon Bloom, co-founder of Desiring God, also tackled this topic in his 2014 article. He pointed out that when people feel forsaken in times when the LORD appears to be absent, they are not, as He states in Hebrews 13:5.
Bloom declared that in these moments of silence, the believers are merely "called to trust the promise more than perception."
Citing a statement from Oswald Chambers, Hamlin concluded that instead of asking if the LORD is silent, the more appropriate question he ought to ask himself is whether his faith is in God whom the Bible speaks about, or just in his own feelings and certainties.
