Hearing from God is a critical part of Christian life. And the more I have personal conversation around this, the more I realize that this may be one of the biggest struggles of the Christian faith. People desire so deeply to hear from their Father and Creator, but sometimes so often seem to experience nothing except crickets during long, and sometimes trying, seasons.
First, and so very important… don’t assume silence means abandonment. It doesn't mean that you are ignored. And is doesn't mean God is absent. So is God listening? Why is He so quiet?
A huge number of people in scripture walked through seasons where God felt quiet, distant, or hidden. Even deeply faithful people.
The book of Psalms is full of cries like: “How long, Lord?” “Why do You seem far away?” and “Why can’t I hear You?”
David prayed that way.
Elijah collapsed under exhaustion and despair.
Job felt abandoned and confused.
Even John the Baptist, after boldly proclaiming Jesus, later sent people asking essentially, “Was I wrong?”
So if you’re in that place, you’re not disqualified from closeness with God. You’re actually standing in a place where many sincere believers have stood before.
Sometimes when people say “I can’t hear God,” what they really mean is:
“I desperately want reassurance.”
“I want direction.”
“I want comfort.”
“I want Him to feel near.”
“I want certainty.”
And recognizably, those are all deeply human cries.
So here are a few things that might hopefully help during quiet seasons:
Stay close even when you don’t feel anything. A relationship built only on emotional highs becomes fragile. Love keeps showing up. Prayer is still valuable when it feels dry. Worship still matters when it feels heavy. Faithfulness in silence is powerful.
Go back to what God has already spoken. A lot of people wait for a new word while neglecting the words already given in scripture. If you want to know God’s heart, immerse yourself in the teachings and character of Jesus. Look at how He treated people. Look at His mercy, truth, patience, holiness, compassion.
Gospels are a good place to sit for a while.
Remove the pressure to “perform spirituality.” Sometimes people strain so hard trying to hear God that anxiety drowns out peace. Not every encounter with God is dramatic. Sometimes He guides quietly through conviction, wisdom, scripture, peace, timing, counsel, or gradual clarity.
Also… take care of yourself physically and emotionally. Exhaustion, isolation, fear, grief, shame, constant noise, and burnout can heavily affect how connected someone feels spiritually. In scripture, sometimes God addressed the person’s rest and restoration before giving direction.
And finally, don’t chase random voices. When someone is desperate to hear from God, they can become vulnerable to unhealthy spiritual influence, manipulation, or obsessive sign-seeking. Ground yourself in scripture, wise counsel, and the character of Christ rather than chasing sensational experiences.
One of the most comforting truths is this... God’s presence is not proven by your ability to feel Him in a moment.
Faith is not “God is real because I feel something.”
Faith often becomes, “Even in silence, I will keep turning toward Him.”
And sometimes, strangely enough, the quiet seasons become the places where roots grow deepest.
~Devin
Devin Osborne
The Early Church
