When God is silent I go crazy. I’m like an ADD super-charged squirrel in my natural environment going from one thing to another and even in my sedentary state I have the turkey brain. I have a feeling that may describe you too. The world is full of us. Ritalin dependent squirrels, am I right? Anyway back to my story with a lesson.
I have been about two years out of being bi-vocational. For those that don’t know I have owned Figaro’s Pizza for 18 years and for five of those years I also was also a Spiritual Development Pastor. I resigned from the pastorate around two Easters ago and have been awaiting what is next. God has been pretty silent on the subject which I’m not thrilled about. Actually I’ve had a beef with the big guy about it. Operating one store is not enough of a challenge for this squirrel man. He has more for me than I am doing and I know it. You know the feeling, you aren’t doing what you are capable of doing but no doors have been opened. It’s frustrating and it ticks me off. I have prayed that God would just show me and there have been crickets.
What do we do in those moments where God is silent on what to do next?
As you can guess this squirrel guy just does a bunch of stuff and looks more like a squirrel dodging tires than someone called by God. Pro tip: Don’t do that.
Visionary
You and I are vision casting leaders and vison casting leaders can get stuck dreaming about the future. Vision is how businesses are started, churches planted, and movements created. God gifted us with vision and that is a good thing. However, when we get caught up in the questions about the future we are not living out a life that honors God rather we are in squirrel mode.
Called for this Moment
God is calling us to this very moment. Dream about the future but come back to today. God has stuff for us to do now. I know that isn’t earth shattering but I realized recently that most of my prayers are about the future and not about this moment. When we seek future answers I have found that most of the time God is silent, however, when I ask Him current questions He has quite a bit to show me.
When God is Silent Who Should I Love?
One of the questions I have been asking that you may want to consider is; “God who do you want me to love well today?” When we ask a question that is in the character of God, He will show us someone. God is love. God will show His followers who to love. The question is, will we listen? God will show you who HE wants you to love if you are courageous enough to ask.
God gave us the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives. He will show us who and how to love. He will show us when we should shut up and listen. Ask Him to be in your day and be active. Then trust Him with your day. It’s easy to pray for help and divine appointments and then be ticked when the day doesn’t go according to our infinite wisdom (sarcasm is intended). Ask God to direct your steps and trust that He does.
Speaking of trusting God, lets trust Him with our future. As we love well and are guided by the Holy Sprit we are going to go on the coolest adventure. However, when we are constantly obsessing over when, where, and what in the future we are squirreling it. The problem with this other than our lack of faith is that it’s fruitless.
When God is Silent Let the Ground Rest
Obsessing over the future is like a farmer who plows a field to plant seeds and then tomorrow plows the field again and again continually. Then stands there and wonders why his seeds didn’t come up. We are called to plant seeds and let the ground rest. In these moments where it looks barren God is working. He brings the seeds to harvest when we are faithful with today. Move forward in love, do what the Holy Spirit tells you to do, and let the ground rest. A harvest is coming, I can see it.
Present Day
This was written over a year ago. I’m happy to report that after letting the ground rest God is speaking more and I’m getting doors opened for me that needed time. That is the great part of our journey. We never outgrow our need to trust God with the unknown as we step down a foggy path. Through loving others and living our best in the moment He will reveal in His time. Be blessed on your journey.