I Samuel 14:37 ‘Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him on that day.’
Saul is doing something most people have done and continue to do; ask God for guidance. He ran into something unexpected, silence. This was especially difficult because time was of the essence. The enemy could regroup. They were presently vulnerable. If they were to go, now was the best time. However, they wanted God to be in this. Particularly because Saul made that same mistake days earlier.
God’s not answering was immediately interpreted that something was wrong. Is that how we are to read silence? Yes and no. When is His silence a reflection of our sin? Let’s look at the norm. As we are in relationship with Him, He gives us His peace. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This is to be the norm for the believer. It’s a great blessing and benefit of following Christ. Akin to that is the blessing of His presence in our lives. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.” Feeling the comfort and approval of His presence is a great joy. David described it as “My cup runneth over”, (Psalm 23:).
When we disobey, that peace and godly fellowship is interrupted. I Thessalonians 5:19 says, “Do not quench the Spirit of God”. Just as a candle’s flame can be extinguished, so can God’s Spirit. Sin or disobedience does that. It’s a horrible feeling. Our stubbornness can prolong this. In the wilderness wandering, Israel whined and complained. The Lord was tired of it, so He complied. Psalm 106:15 says this of them, “And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” Some see this as a sickness, others see it as an internal emptiness. The latter is what rings true with me. At these times, we need to be careful what we ask for.
It’s like when we offend a loved one. There’s distance. Our grief over it plagues us. We want things to be right. That’s how it is with the Lord. Our disobedience produces this type of distance. That’s what Saul and Israel were experiencing.
Is God’s silence ever ok? Yes. Sometimes this happens to build up our faith. It’s not a sense that something’s wrong, just quiet. Almost like going through the desert, it just a long, dry spell. I think of a young child. When very young they need the constant reassurance of the parent’s love and attention. As they mature and are off at school, they carry that love with them. If they were to reflect upon them, they would feel that love. So it is with God. These dry, quiet spells are meant to bolster our faith. When we reflect upon the Lord, we know that He’s looking upon us with approval.
Lord, thank You for Your silence. When in error, it calls us back, in the good times, it causes us recall Your love.