Hearing God in the silence

Nov 8, 2026 | 0 comments

Episode Description:

How do you react when there is silence? What comes to mind? How do you respond to God when there is silence? Hearing God in the silence is different from hearing God when God seems silent. Join us as we explore this topic and share practices we have found helpful for hearing God in the silence.

Episode Notes:

Introduction:

  • Hearing God in the silence is different from hearing God when God seems silent.
  • Episode 21 – Hearing God when God is silent. Be honest with God – the problem is usually on our end; Go back to when you last heard God; Is God wanting to use the situation to increase your trust in Him? Silence can be a sign of intimacy. It is more about recognising how God is speaking.
  • Episode 11 – What to do when I can’t hear God.
  • Psalm 22:1 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
  • Episode 111 – Hearing God amidst noise and chaos.
  • Episode 123 – Which voice is louder -God’s or culture’s?
  • Episode 47 – Hearing God when I don’t see evidence in my life.

First Principle: Trust God in the silence.

  • Silence can be a sign of intimacy. Oswald Chambers (an early 20th-century Scottish evangelist and teacher) wrote in “My Utmost for His Highest” – “When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation.”
  • God is near in the silence. Genesis 1:22 – In the silence and void, God’s Spirit was hovering.
  • James 4: 8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
  • 1 Kings 19: 7-12. Elijah had shown up the prophets of Baal and annihilated them, but then got scared and ran for his life. An angel of the Lord gave him food, water and rest because he was hungry and tired, and that was affecting him physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Then he travelled another 40 days and nights and went into a cave. The Lordsaid, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
  • Trust God for His Presence despite how I feel.
  • Keep showing up.
  • Practised it this week. I had to harness my thoughts but, more importantly, trust that it was God even though it sounded like my voice.
  • Not about emptying your mind or achieving nirvana. We need to reframe silence by turning our focus to God and staying open to what God wants us to notice.
  • Focus on God, not yourself.
  • Reflect on God’s character and not your feelings.
  • Have faith that God’s got this and will speak in His timing.
  • Habakkuk 2:1-2a “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts: I will look to see what he will say to me.” – I WILL. I need to actively participate in the silence.
    • I will turn up.
    • I will remain alert.
    • I will watch and listen.
    • I will hear.
  • Faith verse feeling.
  • Keep showing up and choosing to hear God. To love. To abide. To surrender. To rest in Him. To listen. To obey.

Second Principle: Look at how you view silence.

  • Do you fear silence?
  • Silence can amplify our thoughts, feelings, and desires.
  • Does silence let your thoughts, concerns, and feelings surface in ways that you don’t want to address?
  • Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46 is a Psalm about the world in an uproar with war, chaos, earthquakes, Tsunamis, and heads of nations falling. God is still present and with us. It says stillness precedes God’s revelation.
  • Embrace uncomfortable silence.
  • Isaiah 30:15 “In quietness and trust is your strength.”
  • Lamentations 3:22-23 The Lord’s compassions are new every day. Great is his faithfulness. Then verse 26: ‘It is good to wait quietly for the Lord’ and verse 28: ‘let him sit alone in silence’.
  • Silence is setting aside outer distractions. Stillness is quietening the soul.

Third Principle: Maybe change your spiritual practices.

  • Practice gratitude. Psalm 100:4 “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.”
  • Let what’s buried in your heart bubble up and pay attention to it rather than filling the space and cramming more input into your life.
  • About 30 years ago, we experienced a 48-hour silent retreat. It helped remove everyday pressures and distractions.
  • Turn off your phone.
  • Jesus often spent time in solitude. He chose solitude after the busyness. Eg Mark 1:35.

Summary:

  1. Trust God in the silence.
  2. Look at how you view silence.
  3. Maybe change your spiritual practices.

Prophetic activation:

In keeping with the theme of hearing God in the silence, gather some paper, pens, colouring implements, and, along with Psalm 46:10, quieten yourself for a few moments and turn your heart and thoughts to Father God. Start drawing/doodling and allow God to speak to you during this time. If drawing feels distracting, don’t draw. Just sit and be still. If there are sounds around you, acknowledge them. Invite God to sit with you. Enjoy the silence. Delight yourself in knowing God is beside you, is with you.

Time Stamps:

[0:40] – Gary & Jane share how they have heard God this week.

[4:11] – Introduction to hearing God in the silence.

[5:16] – First Principle: Trust God in the silence.

[10:12] – Second Principle: Look at how you view silence.

[12:39] – Third Principle: Maybe change your spiritual practices.

[16:06] – Summary.

[16:29] – Prophetic activation.

[18:11] – Gary & Jane share a prophetic word for a listener.

[20:32] – Gary prays for you.

Resources / Links Mentioned:

Bible Verses Mentioned:

  • Psalm 22:1
  • Genesis 1:2
  • James 4:8
  • 1 Kings 19:7-12
  • Habakkuk 2:1-2a
  • Psalm 46:10
  • Isaiah 30:15
  • Lamentations 3:22-28
  • Psalm 100:4
  • Mark 1:35
  • Genesis 3:15

Connect with Gary & Jane:

Support the show:

  • Please share this podcast with someone who would value hearing from God.
  • Follow and leave a rating + review on your favourite podcast listening app.
  • If God is leading you to donate or support the show in any way, please visit https://buymeacoffee/garyandjanM Thank you so much.
0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *