Silence

As smart as I think I am and often claim to be, there are two areas of my intelligence that I make no boast about.  Area 1:  Spelling…You would think English was my second language if you read a rough draft of anything that I wrote.  Area 2:  Directional sense…I can get lost trying to find a house on the same street that I am currently on if the street curves too much.

So the two inventions that have saved my life have been spell check and GPS.  The use of these two marvelous wonders have become as much a part of my daily routine as my tooth brush and clear lip gloss.

So last week, when I had to drive to Jefferson, TX (a small town near the Texas and Louisiana border), I punched in the address of my destination and headed out.  As I navigated out of my neighborhood, Lisa (the name I have affectionately given my GPS) talks to me frequently.  She tells me to turn left in a half mile, merge onto a certain street in one mile, keep left at the fork, etc. etc.  After she gets me to Interstate 20, she tells me to stay on 20 East for 200+ miles, and then says nothing else for a very long time.  After about an hour, I look at the GPS just to make sure I'm on the right track because Lisa is still silent.  Then 30 minutes later, I check again because still no word from Lisa.  Several times I come to a section of the freeway where I have options to exit or take another freeway.  Lisa still remains silent.  I have never been where I am going before.  This trip is taking a long time.  This silence is uncomfortable.

Does this sound like the season of life or current situation that you are in?  Is God leading you somewhere new and you feel like He has gone silent?  Do you keep asking him in your prayer time to give you further instructions on a challenging situation but none come? 

Well, God and Lisa are alike in how they guide you.  They only give you directions when it is time for you to make a move.  When they want you to just keep following the last instructions they gave you, they remain silent.

So before getting discouraged because you are not hearing from God, consider that He may be "speaking through the silence".  Identify what was the last word you heard from God, and keep doing that.  When He is ready for you to make a move, He will let you know.  And just like Lisa who gives me a 2 mile warning , He will give you clear directions in just enough time to make a smooth transition.

"Maybe He's speaking through the silence.
Maybe that's all I need to hear.
Give me the patience in this quiet
I need to rest here.  And be ok."
Anthony Evans