Have you ever received a message that seemed far-fetched? You questioned its validity and doubted its authenticity. Despite your apprehension, you continue to hope that the message is real. Nevertheless, you feel silenced because no one will believe you.
The Story: Luke 1:9-25
In Luke 1:9-25, Zacharias and wife, Elizabeth, were advanced in years and childless. They were righteous before God and followed His commandments. Zacharias was the priest who entered the temple and burned incense. While in the temple, an angel of the Lord appeared to the Zacharias.
Although Zacharias was afraid, the angel told him not to be afraid because God answered his prayer. He also advised that his son’s name would be John and he would be a forerunner to the One God will send. Zacharias’ son wouldn’t be like anyone for he had another purpose. After hearing the angel’s words, Zacharias asked how he could be certain that the words were true. The angel confirmed that he only spoke what God said. Because of Zacharias’ unbelief, he would be silent until his son was born.
The Lesson
How do we handle the silence? With Zacharias, his silence was the result of unbelief in the words of the angel. For some, the silence comes from waiting for God to answer. Regardless of the reason, the silence can be deafening. However, there’s a purpose in the silence.
To cope with the silence, we can reflect on what we’re seeking God for. We need to know what we believe and have steadfast faith. Our faith in silence provides us with the strength to press through the challenges. Therefore, it’s imperative that we refrain from doubt. Often, we pray for something and then doubt when it doesn’t happen in our timing. Then, we speak contrary to our beliefs. Our doubting creates delay. To prevent doubt, silence becomes an avenue to manifest the promises of God. Therefore, there’s value in the silence.
