When You Don't Hear From God!

Genesis 37:1-4

-"I pour out my heart to the Lord in prayer and all I get back is silence."

-"All that I am asking Him for is just a little response so that I could know for sure!"

Many folks ask me questions that I cannot answer. One that is repeatedly asked by those who are going through some difficult times is this, "Is God trying to tell me something?" or "Do you think that this is God at work here?" I must answer with "I don't know!"

Sometimes we think that a response from God would be helpful in getting people to believe or comfort through a crisis. Certainly, when we read the Bible we that the pages are full of people who were spoken to in times of trouble. God would tell them, "Don't be afraid, I'm still in charge."

Would our faith be stronger if only God would do that for us? If every time we faced some difficulty that caused us to question God's purpose or plan, we could just ask God and He would talk to us personally, would that strengthen our faith? Yet God doesn't speak to us in these times audibly. He, in a sense, remains very silent!

Here we have a God Who is described and thought of as Our Heavenly Father and yet when tragedy comes this Father seems to be silent. How am I to believe that He is there for me personally? · Maybe you are a single person and you have tried to be faithful to God's standards and have waited and waited and waited for God to bring someone into your life, yet He seems silent.

I want us to consider an Old Testament character this morning. His name is Joseph. Now when we look at Joseph's life, remember not to think about how it all turns out , but rather how he must have felt all along the way when God was silent.

I. Note the Jealousy over Joseph being the favorite of Jacob. v4

II. Joseph as a Slave in Egypt. Ge. 39-40

III. Joseph is Promoted. Ge. 41

IV. The Application.

When we try to take things into our own hands, we violate God's commands and jump from the frying pan into the fire. Look at Jonah! You never see anyone turn their back on God's plan and come out a winner.

When God is silent, there is only one alternative - trust HIM. He may be silent but He is not still. God is at work in the toughest trials building your character as He works His plan.

Are you a Christian today? God's plan for you is that you accept Christ. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all might come to repentance. Perhaps God is allowing certain circumstances to come into your life to bring you to the place where you will accept Him. Will you come today.

Whatever your need this morning, will you come to Him?