Have you ever been on a call that lost signal? This can happen quite a bit to me while I’m in the carpool line because we have terrible reception in that area. But when this happens, I just call the person right back and continue the conversation where we left off. I don’t assume they don’t want to talk to me because the call dropped. I just call them back.
When we feel God is silent, however, we may mistakenly feel He is giving us the cold shoulder and don’t call back. Our natural reaction is to draw away, and not lean in. Yet the writer of Psalm 42 did the opposite in the face of God’s silence. He did not stop calling on God. In Psalm 42:1-2, he writes: “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (Psalm 42:1-2 ESV)
I love the poetry of that verse. The visual of a deer panting for water perfectly describes how our souls should feel for God. It says that we should be drawing near to Him. We should be thirsty for God because we understand that He is what we need.
Sometimes it’s not that God is silent, but are we listening? Are we thirsty for Him? Do we want to hear from Him? Is your desire for just what you want or is your desire for God? Regardless of how you feel, are you drawing near to God, or have you given up on the whole idea of hearing from Him altogether?
The Psalmist knew what it was like to feel as though God is gone. He shows us not to give up on seeking God, even when He feels distant because He is the only true source that can satisfy our souls.
Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for being patient with us even when we feel distant from You. Help us to keep seeking You with a thirsty soul, trusting that You are always near and that You hear our prayers. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Reflect: How do you respond when you feel like God is silent? How can you cultivate a deeper thirst for God in your daily life?
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