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Religous: Why God is silent
Father Abraham Srambical
for South Peace News
It often happened to us. We prayed for God’s intervention but nothing really happened.
We pray for guidance from God and there seems to be no response at all. We prayed because someone we loved fell ill and he was not healed. Not only was he not healed but he died.
We prayed for a financial problem and we waited for God to intervene but it was in vain; the problem became more acute.
We wanted a job because we had to feed the family, a family that God gave us and yet God was silent. We wanted understanding, fellowship, friendship, companionship and we prayed for it all but things turned worse. We do not understand the ways of God, the delays of God, the silence of God.
The Gospel sheds light on this aspect of our life. Why is it that God is silent? Why is it that we are not able to see His face and be comforted by Him in the moments of our troubles? Why is it that God is late?
There was a man named Lazarus who lived in the village of Bethany with the two sisters, Mary and Martha, and he was ill. (It was the same Mary, the sister of the sick man Lazarus, who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair.) The sisters sent this message to Jesus: “Lord, your friend is sick.” On receiving the message, Jesus said, “This sickness will end not in death but in God’s glory, and through it the Son of God will be glorified.” (John 11:1-5)
I believe there are two reasons why God delays.
First, “For God’s glory to be manifested.” When God delays, it is always for the glory of God to be manifested in that particular situation. In John 11:4, Jesus tells us, “This sickness will end not in death but in God’s glory, and through it the Son of God will be glorified.”
In John 11:40, Jesus says to Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you would see the glory of God?”
What does that mean? A delay in God’s intervention is for the manifestation of God’s glory. I believe that Jesus wanted Martha, Mary and disciples to know that God was in control. God is in control of our sickness, of our life and of our death and that is why Jesus is challenging Martha, “Believe and you shall see the glory of God.”
Often, we want things to happen our way. Yet, how do I know my way is the best way? God knows everything and whatever God does is to manifest His glory. At the right time he will intervene.
In John Chapter 2, The Lord intervened in the problem of the family at Cana. There was no wine to serve during the marriage and nobody could help. That is when Jesus intervened and the water was turned to wine. Thus the glory of God was manifested and the disciples believed in Him.
Every moment when things go wrong with us, we pray that God will intervene - that is the promise but in God’s own time, in God’s own way, and in God’s own place. I must wait for God’s glory to be manifested. He is in control and everything that God does is to manifest His own glory to us.
Second, God turns everything for our good. When God delays, it is always for our good. Often we do not understand because our intellect and our thinking are very narrow. We can see perhaps 10 years, or 20 years ahead but God looks at things from an eternal perspective.
God knows that at the right time, He will turn everything for our good. It is what Jesus said in John 11:14-15. Lazarus has died, Jesus said, and then He added, “I am glad for you that I wasn’t there.”
God is waiting so we may trust in Him that we may put our faith in Him, that we may turn to Him and we become mature in our faith.
Sufferings do come our way. There are problems - dark shadows come our way all around. We trust in God and that trust will make us mature and we will be filled with the great love of our God.
In Romans 8:28, there is a beautiful assurance given to us. We know everything that God works for is good with those who love Him, and who are called according to His purpose. God is waiting to work for our good. In fact, we are told, Jesus loved Lazarus, Martha and Mary and yet he waited for their sake and for the sake of the Apostles.
Psalmist says, “God has counted all our tosses and our tears are collected in his heart.” (Psalm 56:8)
No sigh, no tear, no pain misses God’s attention. God knows everything at the right time. God will turn everything to our good. It may not be in our time table; it may as we wanted but as God wants it according to His purpose and for our good.
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