Vital Signs: Wednesday, April 9, 2025

When Prayer Feels Silent

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” - Romans 12:12 (NIV)

There are times when we pray, and it feels like heaven is silent. We bring our needs, our worries, and our hopes before God, and yet we don’t sense a response. In those moments, it’s easy to question if God hears us or if our prayers are even making a difference.

But silence doesn’t mean absence. Just because God is quiet doesn’t mean He is not working. In fact, some of God’s greatest movements in our lives happen behind the scenes, where faith is deepened and trust is refined.

David, a man after God's own heart, wrestled with silence too. In Psalm 13:1 he cried, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” Yet even in the silence, David chose to trust God’s unfailing love.

Faith is not just believing when we see results—faith is choosing to believe when we don’t. It’s continuing to pray, even when the answer hasn’t come yet. It’s holding onto hope, even when emotions say otherwise.

So when prayer feels silent, don’t stop praying. God is still listening. His silence may be preparation. His delay may be divine timing. And His presence is never absent, even when His voice is quiet.

We don’t always need answers, we just need to know the One who holds them.

Prayer: Father, sometimes I don’t hear You, and I don’t see immediate answers. But today, I choose to trust You anyway. I know that You are near, even in the silence. Strengthen my faith and help me remain faithful in prayer. Teach me to rest in Your presence, not just in Your answers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.