What to do when God goes silent | Paralysing Holiness

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From this previous article you might recall that I mentioned that God chose to grow my faith through personal interactions with the Holy Spirit. He spoke to me directly almost every day through dreams, visions, convictions, knowings and His audible voice in times when I didn't have a  pastor or spiritual mentor.

With this I found myself heavily relying on the active instruction of God to make any decision in my life, until a couple of years ago when that changed and I could only hear from God through His written word in the bible.

You can't imagine how nervous I got every time I needed to make a decision, especially those major decisions, because I was used to God revealing things to me beforehand, and the Holy Spirit advising me on most things; but now, there was nothing, only silence. I cried, I prayed, I fasted, I begged the Lord for instruction, but all I got was a calm silence. Then I realized  that I needed to learn more about God's silence.

I asked around, a few spiritually mature people, especially leaders, organizational heads, church leaders, pastors, CEOs, among others, how they deal with the fact that God goes silent sometimes yet decisions need to be made almost on a daily.

As I was in the middle of this struggle, I started to notice many other people struggling with what I'll choose to call "Paralyzing Holiness." 

Paralyzing Holiness is where we say we are waiting on God's confirmation about certain issues in life, and then we remain stagnant in such matters. From ladies who won't say yes to a guy they like because they are waiting for God to confirm, to gentlemen who refuse to define their relationship, waiting for God to confirm; Christians refusing to attend another church in a new city they have moved to because they are waiting for God to confirm; Christians refusing to take on a new project because they are waiting for God to confirm; believers waiting for God to confirm before they invest in a certain business idea, plus many other similar situations.

Has someone ever asked you a question and then they go right ahead to answer it themselves? Let's not do the same to God in prayer.

And this is what I believe God has taught me to do when He goes silent:

1. Pray: ask for instructions and have an open mind to any way, any answer that God may give. We don't have to pray with a closed mind, thinking to ourselves that, "He will go silent about this." Instead, pour out your heart and tell Him how much you would love His instruction.

2. Is He really quiet?

I remember when I had a big crush on this handsome guy, who happened to ask me out a few weeks after we had met. I really liked the guy. However, the "mature" Christian I thought I was, I had to bring the issue to God in prayer to seek for His instruction. 

After I prayed, God seemed silent. So, I went ahead and said "Yes!" to the handsome guy.
When that relationship eventually came to an end, I went to the Holy Spirit crying and saying, "But I sought your instruction about this!" 

I remembered that time when I sought instruction from God. And remembered that God was not silent, I chose to ask Him for instruction yet my mind was already made up that no matter what the Holy Spirit said,  I was going to say yes to this guy.

So, is He really quiet, or you are just asking Him just to fulfill that step, yet you have already made up your mind about what you're asking Him to instruct you about.

3. Wait a little bit.

 After you ask, wait a little bit. Has someone ever asked you a question and then they go right ahead to answer it themselves? Let's not do the same to God in prayer. Ask and then wait for an answer, then you will know if silence is really the answer.

4. Are you asking for instruction in fear?

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

-2 Timothy 1:7 

When I looked at most of the issues we believers get stuck about saying we are waiting on God's confirmation, they are actually based on fear most of the time. 

I won't get into this relationship because I fear that it might not work out, so I want some guarantee from God that it will work; I don't want to risk my little money in this business idea because I fear I might lose it.

Our Paralysing Holiness is the fear to risk, the fear to move out in faith. Peter was not sure he could walk on water when he decided to step out of the boat. As a matter of fact, he was still figuring out if the other person was indeed Jesus.

The bible is filled with God sending His people instructions and confirmations, but it is also filled with people risking everything, moving out in faith instead of giving in to their fears.

You have lived with Christ so often that you have the mind of Christ.

I asked one person who was struggling with this Paralysing Holiness, "Why is it that we don't usually get stuck waiting for God's instruction to do the things we love, or the things with minimal expected risk? We don't get stuck waiting for God's confirmation like, 'Oh God, please confirm to me if I should eat food or not, go to bed or not, go swimming or play a game"

Most times we tend to seek God's active instruction basing on fear, in that we totally forget to ask His instruction when we are not afraid of the decisions to be made.

I believe God would rather have us take a step in faith than remaining stagnant in fear. I have seen beautiful things happening when we move in faith rather than remaining inactive in fear, which we usually cover up with, "Am waiting for God to confirm."

Going into the unknown scares us because we forget that our God knows the unknown.

I love to interpret God's silence this way: God trusts you. You are of sound mind and more than able to make this decision. God has raised you up for such a time as this. You have lived with Christ so often that you have the mind of Christ. In case you are wrong about it, God has your back. 

He leads you in paths of righteousness for His name's sake, whether that leading is active or silent.

We need to seek God's will in our lives for all issues of life, but how long we wait on His response determines if we are having Paralysing Holiness or waiting in faith.

5. Move out in faith. 

Prayerfully move out in faith. Take that job in faith. Move to that new city in faith. Ask her out in faith. Give your business idea a try in faith.

Going into the unknown scares us because we forget that our God knows the unknown. No one can please God without faith. So, prayerfully take a step in faith. 

Please share this article with family and friends because I know hundreds if not thousands of us struggle with Paralysing Holiness. Maybe this article will be of amazing help to one of them.

Till next Wednesday, let's stay blessed!

Moving out in faith.