Why is God silent?

[Zadeth]

Additionally, there are miracles that have been investigated and documented by the church.

Try the book “Miracles Do Happen” by Sr Briege McKenna, or

An Exorcist Tells His Story by Fr Gabriel Amorth

Personally, I have experienced a few things I couldn’t explain by natural means

However, to the other posters’ point, I agree people in the OT were often more aligned with the spiritual and saw God’s hand in more things.

Thank you. I’ll check out these books.

 

[Lorenz_Michael]

Ask Him, He’ll tell you why

 

[ProdglArchitect]

I just want to know God is there, listening. Like I said, it often feels like I’m taking to myself or to a void.

I know this feeling, I’ve experienced it as well. I know it can be hard, but it does get better. For me, it had a lot to do with how I was living my life. I was “praying” to God while simultaneously ignoring a certain habitual sin I’ve struggled with for most of my life.

I’m not saying that you have this issue, but the apparent lack of response may be God’s way of telling you to examine your life and see if perhaps you have some sin you’re attached to which is keeping you away from Him.

 

[Zadeth]

Ask Him, He’ll tell you why

I have asked, and I do not feel any response.

I know this feeling, I’ve experienced it as well. I know it can be hard, but it does get better. For me, it had a lot to do with how I was living my life. I was “praying” to God while simultaneously ignoring a certain habitual sin I’ve struggled with for most of my life.

I’m not saying that you have this issue, but the apparent lack of response may be God’s way of telling you to examine your life and see if perhaps you have some sin you’re attached to which is keeping you away from Him.

I am actually in the process of giving up certain habitual sins.

 

[Della]

Zadeth, when God is silent–when he doesn’t seem to respond, he is speaking, but in the silence of our hearts. He sometimes seems to abandon us so we will seek him more diligently–to elicit longing for him and safeguard us from complacency. It’s nothing to be worried about. You are reacting as you should–by seeking God more, and examining your life. That’s a good thing. God corrects us, his children, as our loving father, desiring us to crave his presence more than other values in our lives.

 

[goout]

When Christ was on Earth, faith still mattered.

I have asked the Holy Spirit to enter my life, give me guidance and strengthen my faith but I haven’t seen any results.

If you have children…
Sometimes things happen that are simply “part of life”. Broken limbs. Measles. Sometimes much worse.
You also will know that children don’t always accept your guidance.

All these things are bad results that go against your designs for a happy life.

Still, a parent goes on and maintains a relationship with the child, because the relationship itself is the highest value, not the specific results. You will see this in dying people. They have no concern for results in their life like successes and failures. The only concern is how well they loved and were loved in return.

Your relationship with God is the only thing that matters in the big picture. Human results will vary. Persist in your conversation with God and he will answer in ways you might not expect.

 

[fhansen]

Why is God silent in a time in which the world needs His direction the most? We see throughout the Old Testament God communicating with His people, and through the NT with Christ on Earth, and visions after he departed this world.

Why is God silent? I often feel as if I’m talking to myself and no one is listening when I pray.

God only communicated rarely with His people in the OT, and usually only though selected prophets, etc. Centuries would pass without any overt contact, which was meted out for the purpose of guiding forward -or steering back- when they went astray, which was continuously. He ultimately wants to draw humanity into willful submission to Him, based on love for Him. And this is a very tall order. It involves man-us-being the gods of our world first-so we’ll come to know, by experience, the foolishness and tragedy of God’s not being the King our universe. We’re here to gain wisdom. He must remove Himself from direct view in order for that to be accomplished. That’s what Adam wanted anyway after all.

 

[BobCatholic]

If He wasn’t silent, then what would be the whole point of faith?

Faith helps us see, not stumble around in the dark trying to find answers like a drunken sailor.

Why does God remain silent then punish people for not reading his mind?

 

[SAVINGRACE]

"If God ever ignored you, you would cease to exist. He affirms you with your every heartbeat. He speaks to you on his terms all the time. And I don’t mean just through his creation. He speaks to you by the gift of faith that he has given you. He speaks to you from every crucifix you have ever seen. But most of all he speaks to you from the chalice on the altar which contains the blood that he willingly shed for you.

Think of this: We are attracted to the good in things and then love them for that reason. But when God loves things, he makes them lovable by loving them. When we look at a crucifix and see how much he loves us, we also see how lovable we are! All of this is Jesus speaking to us. But we have to be focussed on him and not what we want from him.

As for the good outcomes, he obviously has not determined that they would be the best for you at this time. Mother Teresa went without such gratification for 20 years. But he still spoke to her through the graces he gave her. I’m sure she would tell you that such gratification is worth waiting for."

catholic.com/qa/why-is-god-silent

 

[fhansen]

Faith helps us see, not stumble around in the dark trying to find answers like a drunken sailor.

Why does God remain silent then punish people for not reading his mind?

Someone once said that integrity is to do the right thing even when nobody’s looking. Whether God is looking at us or not, or whether* we* can see Him or not, justice and goodness demand that we simply do the right thing, that we seek and follow the path of righteousness. We have no excuse to do otherwise just because the Master’s gone away, so to speak. So as long as He finds us doing what we ought to do anyway when He returns, we’ll have no problem anyway.

 

[BobCatholic]

Someone once said that integrity is to do the right thing even when nobody’s looking. Whether God is looking at us or not, or whether* we* can see Him or not, justice and goodness demand that we simply do the right thing, that we seek and follow the path of righteousness. We have no excuse to do otherwise just because the Master’s gone away, so to speak. So as long as He finds us doing what we ought to do anyway when He returns, we’ll have no problem anyway.

I think you didn’t read my comment.

If the Master is not around to teach us to improve us, we will never improve. We can’t improve ourselves on our own strength, we need the Master for that.

This is not about integrity, it is about how does one become perfect as the Master demands, when the ability to become perfect is only possible with the Master’s help, and not with his absence.

 

[fhansen]

I think you didn’t read my comment.

If the Master is not around to teach us to improve us, we will never improve. We can’t improve ourselves on our own strength, we need the Master for that.

This is not about integrity, it is about how does one become perfect as the Master demands, when the ability to become perfect is only possible with the Master’s help, and not with his absence.

Sorry if misunderstood. But I’m only saying that we aren’t in darkness about what’s right, and certainly regarding what’s* wrong, *what’s harmful to our neighbor. And Christians have even less excuse, having heard God’s word on the matter.

As for help, Jesus said He’d be with us always. I have to trust that the Trinity provides sufficient grace to help us achieve the goal, from wherever we start, whatever our particular situation.