Why Is God Silent?

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:26-30 ESV). Continuing with some of the questions I have received over the past few months, a grandmother wrote “Why is God so silent in the face of sufferings?” There is much more to the story than just the question. She was grieving the loss of her newborn grandchild who had died just days after being born. She had prayed for his healing; the elders of the church had come to pray over the child. Through her tears and hurt, she could only ask, “Why?” It is a question that many of us have been called on to answer in one capacity or another. The answer is often much longer and more complicated than our space today would allow. The heart of the Christian message makes this question even more acute. Jesus of Nazareth was God’s unique, beloved Son. Yet when Jesus went through torments on the cross, God seemed to be strangely silent. When the only Son was bearing the worst of shame and anguish it seemed as if God was ignoring His pain and suffering. Surely you remember how the world was veiled in darkness as if the shame was too great to bear. But this is precisely where we find the only light to discover the answer to this question. You see, God was there, in the person of Jesus Christ, suffering with us and for us. He was not a spectator on the human scene then, nor is he now. That would mean everything in life is incredibly heartless. He enters into our situation, takes on himself our humanity and bears the utmost horror on our behalf, and then everything is changed. Then we can believe he feels the sorrows of his people, and goes through it all with them. Then we have a gospel for the troubled and tormented of the world. Further, because of the resurrection we may live with a great hope. Someday all these hideous cruelties will end. God will speak with a voice that raises the dead and all will be well. Here’s the promise: “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). God is not silent. He has spoken and continues to speak a word of eternal life forever free of pain and sorrow.