When Heaven Is Silent

What unanswered prayer teaches us about faith, sovereignty, and grace

I am guessing that believers of all stripes, ages, and levels of maturity experience times when we pray diligently for something or someone, and nothing seems to happen. Silence. It can cause us to doubt our standing before God, our own belief, and even our faith itself. For some, this becomes a persistent struggle, and that certainly indicates that the communication link is blocked in some way.

You know the list of potential obstacles or blockages: unconfessed sin, wrong motives, unforgiveness, lack of faith, spiritual warfare, and so on. At some point, all of us will stare into the gray stone of silence. Even mature and foundationally solid believers encounter seasons when it feels like no one answers the call, the lines just seem dead. Does that mean we have a major issue in our lives?

It is possible, of course. But I believe it is less likely to be a continuing problem for the mature, well-discipled, and disciplined believer. Why? Because when they sense something is amiss in their relationship with the Holy, they do not merely worry about it, they bring it before the throne. Even when they do not know what the issue is, God does and is happy to help us deal with it.

And then there is the big one: God’s sovereignty.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Earlier this year, when a family member was sick, I prayed my heart out. We both believed we heard exactly the same word from God, that she would be healed. We believed it and we prayed it with all fervor, faith, and faithfulness, never doubting. We knew that we knew that God was on the case.

Then she died.

As I processed this, I asked the expected questions. What was wrong with me that God would not heal her? What was wrong with my faith or belief? Had we both heard from our souls and not from God? The first few weeks were pure anguish, grieving the loss of someone dear, and grieving what felt like a loss of intimacy with God, something I hold precious.

And then I came to understand a hard and holy truth: God is sovereign over all. Period. We will not always understand, but we can always know that He is in control. That does not mean our prayers were wrong. It simply means God is God. His answer, in His time.

Our calling is to be faithful to what He places on our hearts, and to obey if He assigns us a different role to play. Faithfulness is owed to Him, not to our own desires, pride, or assumptions. Let God be God. The rest is up to Him. 

I know, it can feel like a simple answer to one of life’s great conundrums. But I believe it is the truth. His way. His timing. His purpose. And perhaps that is one of the greatest expressions of His grace.

If your prayers feel unanswered right now, bring that honestly before God. Not in frustration or fear, but in trust. He is present, even in the silence.

Praying for your praying,

Shalom