When God Feels Silent

 Alive Youth Church Weekly,

Speaking to a student this week, I was reminded that God is never limited by age. He is present and moving among those younger and older than you. This is so clear in Alive Youth Church. A collection of students and leaders alike, ages ranging from 10 years old to almost 50. I love it when a simple question from a middle schooler can impact many. AYC has always been a place where High schoolers, middle schoolers, and trusted leaders of all ages can minister to each other in Jesus' name. What a great thing to witness and be a part of. My prayer is that we as a people continue to welcome, love, pray, and work as Jesus does. never limited by age, but empowered by the spirit within us. 

When God Feels Silent

"Be still, and know that I am God."

— Psalm 46:10

There are times when it feels like God has gone quiet. You pray and get no answer. You read your Bible, but the words just sit there, and you just sit there too. You wonder if maybe you’ve done something wrong or if He’s not listening. How many of us have felt this way at some point in our journey with God? 

Silence doesn’t mean absence. Sometimes, God’s silence is the space where faith grows. In 1 Kings 19:11-12, Elijah looked for God in the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, but God wasn’t in any of those. He was distracted, looking for God here and there. Then came a gentle whisper. Sometimes we force it; we expect God to speak in the way we want Him to speak. 

Looking for God? Can't hear Him? Slow down. Be still. Trust in Him. 

God often speaks in stillness, not noise. He doesn’t need to shout to prove He’s close. He wants us to slow down long enough to notice Him. 

I think we can all agree that we live in a loud world. My thought to consider is that the noise is contagious.

Think about the last time you were in a crowded room, trying to have a simple conversation. At first, you speak normally, but as the volume of the room rises, you instinctively raise your voice to be heard. Before long, you’re shouting without even realizing it. Then, when you finally step outside, you notice how loud you had become and how the noise around you had shaped your tone.

The same thing happens in life. The louder our surroundings, the louder we become. We match the world’s volume. the world's pace, its chaos, its urgency, until silence feels almost unnatural. But it’s in the stillness, not the shouting, that we hear what truly matters.

When our hearts are full of noise, there’s little room for God to speak. But when we quiet ourselves, when we intentionally step away from the roar of the world, we discover the gentle whisper that’s been there all along. God doesn’t compete with the noise; He waits for us to turn it down.

• When was the last time you sat in silence with God, no phone, music, or distractions?

• What if His silence is actually an invitation to trust Him more deeply?

• Could it be that He’s already answered, just not in the way you expected?

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

— Exodus 14:14

My challenge for you, and in all honesty, a challenge for myself: Take five minutes each day this week to sit quietly with God. No talking. No agenda. Just be still and know He’s there. 

Come and find me next Sunday. Tell me what you hear, how you feel, and what God does in your life through the silence. 

See you when we gather next: Sunday, 6:30pm!

It may be the next time you come to your church, don't let it be the next time you go to God. 

- Isaac Fehlen 

Youth Pastor