Latest / HAVE FAITH LET IT BEGIN® / Following Jesus in Real Life Series: Ep 1 of 10 Why Does God Feel Silent?
Transcript
- 0:00Following Jesus isn't about having all the answers. It's about trusting God one step at a time.
- 0:07Welcome to Following Jesus in Real Life, a special series from Have Faith, Let It Begin.
- 0:14I'm Angel Santana. Together, we'll have honest conversations about faith,
- 0:19doubt, hope, grace, and what it truly means to follow Christ,
- 0:25not just on Sundays, but every single day.
- 0:29Let's walk this journey together. Half-Faith Let It Begin starts right now.
- 0:34Welcome to Half-Faith Let It Begin. This is Ariel Santana.
- 0:38Can you believe I'm seven years old already? I'm old enough now to introduce my dad.
- 0:44Ladies and gentlemen, your host, my dad, Angel Santana.
- 0:51Two thousand came and the spark was lit. A testimony raw, it wouldn't quit.
- 0:56His mother's voice, a guiding thread.
- 1:23Hello everyone and good morning and welcome to Have Faith, Let It Begin.
- 1:26I'm Angel Santana and today we begin a brand new journey together.
- 1:31On the heels of Faith in the World Today series, which was a remarkable 10-part
- 1:35series, we welcome you back to an episode number one of 10.
- 1:40That's right, as we do, following Jesus in real life.
- 1:45Today's conversation starts with a question that almost every believer has asked
- 1:50at one point, but few people feel comfortable saying out loud,
- 1:55why does God feel silent?
- 1:58Maybe you've prayed for healing. Maybe you've prayed for direction.
- 2:03And maybe you've prayed for someone you love.
- 2:06Maybe you've prayed for months or even years.
- 2:09And it feels like nothing has changed. If that's where you are today, this episode is for you.
- 2:16Because we live in a world that expects instant results.
- 2:20We send a text and expect a reply within minutes.
- 2:25We order something online and track every step of the delivery.
- 2:29We search the internet and get answers in seconds. Without realizing it,
- 2:34we can begin expecting God to work the same way.
- 2:38We pray. Then we wait.
- 2:41And then, when the answer doesn't come immediately, silence can begin to feel like absence.
- 2:47But are they the same thing?
- 2:50Let's talk about this. One of the hardest parts of following Jesus is learning
- 2:55that God's silence doesn't always mean God is distant.
- 3:00Sometimes, silence is where trust begins to grow.
- 3:04Think about a teacher during a test. The teacher isn't speaking,
- 3:08not because they've abandoned the students, but because it's time for the students
- 3:12to apply what they've already learned.
- 3:15Sometimes our faith grows the most, not when every prayer is answered immediately,
- 3:21but when we continue trusting even without seeing the outcome.
- 3:26Now, I'll be honest with you. There have been many times in my own life when
- 3:29I've wondered why God seemed so quiet.
- 3:32There were prayers I wanted answered right away. Questions I wanted resolved.
- 3:37Doors I opened, well, doors I hoped would open.
- 3:42At the time, I couldn't understand the waiting. Looking back now,
- 3:47I can see that God wasn't absent. He was preparing me.
- 3:51Some of the greatest lessons in my life didn't come during the moments when everything made sense.
- 3:57They came during the moments when I had to keep walking by faith.
- 4:01And while I wouldn't choose those same.
- 4:04Those same days, again, I wouldn't
- 4:06trade that, I wouldn't trade what God taught me through them. Yeah.
- 4:11Living it out. Well, that's what I think about when I hear that.
- 4:15Maybe you're, maybe, yeah, let me say this.
- 4:18Maybe you're one of the most, maybe you're just one of those people today going through this hard time.
- 4:25Maybe you've been asking, God, are you listening? I believe he is.
- 4:30Sometimes we confuse God's silence
- 4:32with God's absence. But silence doesn't mean he has stopped working.
- 4:38There are things happening beneath the surface that we can't yet see.
- 4:42Seeds grow underground long before anyone notices them breaking through the soil.
- 4:47Faith often grows the same way. So I have a faith challenge for you.
- 4:53Instead of asking, why aren't you speaking?
- 4:56Try asking, God, what are you teaching me while I wait? Write it down. Pray about it.
- 5:03Pay attention to the small ways God may already be moving. Sometimes,
- 5:08his answers don't arrive with a shout.
- 5:10Sometimes, they come as quiet reminders of his presence.
- 5:15If today feels quiet, don't mistake quiet for emptiness.
- 5:20Some of God's greatest work happens when we can't yet see it.
- 5:26Keep praying. Keep trusting. Keep showing up.
- 5:30One day, you may look back and realize the silence wasn't the end of your story.
- 5:36It was where your faith became stronger.
- 5:38Amen. Heavenly Father, for everything listening today, for everyone listening
- 5:45today who feels like heaven has been quiet, remind them that you're still near.
- 5:51Strengthen those who are waiting.
- 5:53Encourage those who are discouraged. Help us trust your timing when we don't understand it.
- 5:58Teach us to remain faithful even when the path ahead isn't clear.
- 6:04And give us peace in knowing that you're always working even when we cannot yet see it.
- 6:12In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Thank you for joining me for the very first episode
- 6:16of Following Jesus in Real Life, a special series from Half Faith Let It Begin.
- 6:22Remember that following Jesus isn't about having all the answers.
- 6:25It's about trusting him one step at a time.
- 6:29So keep walking, keep trusting, keep believing, and always remember to never forget.
- 6:37To have faith, let it begin.
- 6:40Coming up next, episode two. I'm tired of pretending I'm okay.
- 6:44The freedom that comes when we stop wearing masks. We'll talk about it.
- 6:50Till next time. God bless.