In Job chapter 33, Elihu’s ideas differ from that of the other three friends.  He thinks Job needs to put on his listening ears.  He questions Job: “You really think God doesn’t respond to our questions?”  Elihu’s idea is that God always answers, Job just isn’t listening.

“Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it.”   Job 33:14

Elihu and I are kindred spirits, I think.  I have a very similar view of how God works in our lives.  (It’s kinda’ the point of this blog!)  There are no coincidences, ironies, or luck in life… every tiny detail is fashioned and planned by God, and He wants us to see how tangible and involved in life He really is… and Elihu tells Job says the same thing; “Open your eyes!”

He tells Job that God always speaks, always answers us in one way or another; through dreams [Job 33:15-18], suffering [Job 33:19-22] or a messenger [Job 33:23-24] and had Job been listening he would have his answer.

But God doesn’t always give us clear answers.  Yes I do agree that He always answers but sometimes He is silent because the answer is WAIT.  In fact, I wrote a blog post not too long ago about my friend Noriko who waited 15 years for her mom’s salvation.  15 years!!  Talk about an answer of silence!  (Read about it here.)

“Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.”   Psalm 27:14

So why doesn’t God just tell us?  Wouldn’t it be easier for people to follow Him if they knew the answers and He revealed what He was up to?

My study Bible explains it this way:

Our greatest test may be that we must trust God’s goodness
even though we don’t understand why our lives are going a certain way.
We must learn to trust in God who is good
and not in the goodness of life.

If God were to answer all of our questions or explain why He chose to put us through the trial we face, we wouldn’t have to rely fully on Him.  We would go on doing our own thing until the trial was over, until the purpose God revealed to us came to be and only then would we return to Him asking “Ok, what’s next?!”  There would be no reason to seek His wisdom or guidance and certainly no reason to approach Him in prayer because we would already have the answers.

It’s hard to be a follower of Christ.  Life comes with so many questions and surprises and very often it seems like God is being too quiet.  But know this, He is working even when we can’t see it.

Are you in a place where you aren’t sure what your next step is?
Is God being too quiet?
Be patient, God will show you… in His timing.

“I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope.”   Psalm 130:5

Lord, I pray that at all times and in every situation You will inspire fresh faith in me to keep seeking You and trusting You even when I don’t understand what You’re doing.  I know You are at work, both in me and in the situation.