The Apparent Silence of God - One Year Devotions for Women

“But God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it.” - Job 33:14

Elihu, one of Job’s comforters, found the right words at the right time and said them in the right way. Job’s three friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—had done their best to comfort Job, but their words had been full of anger and accusation.

Elihu answered Job’s complaint about God’s silence by reminding him of the many ways that God speaks to his people (Job 33:13-19). In reality, Job was only complaining about God’s silence in his present circumstances, but Elihu did the right thing by pointing out that although we may not hear God for a time, it does not mean that he is far away from us.

At a particularly dark time in my life, it seemed that God had nothing more to say to me. Like Job, I became terrified by the apparent silence of God. At that time, God sent a sweet Elihu my way to remind me of God’s presence, protection, and promises. God spoke through Elihu to Job, and God encouraged me to wait patiently. It was not long before I heard his voice again.

If you are hearing only the silence of God, perhaps you need to listen for his words from other places. Someone may be an Elihu for you. When you know your friend feels abandoned by God, you may be an Elihu to her. You need to make sure your words line up with Scripture; then your words of comfort can remind her of God’s promises and provision in the Bible and about his promises and provision for her.

For Further Study: Job 33:1-33

Excerpted from The One Year Devotions for Women, Copyright ©2000 by Jill Briscoe. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

For more from Jill Briscoe, please visit TellingtheTruth.org.

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