When God Chooses to be Silent

Each day when I go for my hour walk I try to spend the quiet time in prayer, in mentally preparing for my day, thinking about the needful things of my family and just plain ole contemplating my life and my daily and long term goals.

Vance and I have been praying over a personal issue now for about 2 years and from what it seems God is being silent on the issue.  Or is He?  Could it be that we just think He is being silent and not answering our prayers because the answer we are looking for isn't exactly the one He is giving us.  I think it is easy to think we are being ignored, forgotten, or simply that our prayers aren't 'big' enough for Him to even take the time to deal with.  I think one of the reasons it is easy to think He is not listening is because when our prayers are answered the way we want then we are all happy, thankful, and filled with faith and hope for the future.  But what are our thoughts when the answers don't come?  Are we to assume He is silent and hasn't heard our pleas?  

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.  He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.  And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, "Grant me justice against my adversary."  For some time he refused.  But finally he said to himself, "Even though I don't fear God or care about men, Yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!"  And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.  And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?  Will He keep putting them off?  I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly.  However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

So, as I ponder these scriptures I will continue in prayer knowing that my prayers are heard and believe that no matter how silent God seems to be, I know through my faith that He is working.  All I need to do is look around and I know He is not silent.  Everything and everyone bare testimony that He lives and I will wait on Him knowing that whatever answer I receive will be perfect in Him because He is perfect.