The miracle of life is astounding. Nothing shows the awesome wonder of God quite like a newborn baby. Have you ever wondered why God made human babies so dependent on parents? He could have made babies to be born ready to thrive on their own from birth like certain animals. But because humans are created in God’s image, I believe He made us as relational beings, with our first relational interactions straight out of the womb with our parents.
Newborn babies are said to only be able to see up to 10 inches away when they are first born. Experts say this is so they can see their mother when they are nursing/feeding and quickly form a bond. The baby finds comfort quickly with this first and important relationship.
When my now 5 month-old-baby was only a few weeks old, I tested this theory out to see how true it was. I laid him down in his crib and walked to the other side of the room. He started to cry, thinking I had left. I could see his little eyes gazing at the place I had been standing. He was also trying to roll and would startle himself as he began to move, which made him cry even more. (Don’t worry, he only cried for a total of about 10 seconds before I came to his side.) And this got me to thinking about how we relate with God.
God is always with us but sometimes we are in new or different situations where it feels as though God is distant or has forgotten about us. We cry out and don’t seem to get an answer as we cry out for help. Psalm 46:1 says “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.” What do we do when our visibility only seems to be about 10 inches and we cry for help but don’t seem to hear or see anything back from God?
I believe that the silence we may feel at times is God allowing us the opportunity to “grow-up” in maturity to the calling He has given us, just as a baby grows physically. God isn’t absent; He is always with us. But in those moments of silence, we have a choice. Will we continue to seek Him or will we turn away from Him? It is in these seemingly quiet moments, if we continue to press into The Lord, He reveals exactly what we need but more importantly, we learn more of who He is. This provides us with a deeper dependence on Him. Although our human tendency is to pull-away from or shut-out the silence as a means of protecting ourselves, if we press deeper into The Lord, He promises to be faithful, to be with us, and to bring us further into the calling He has for us. God has never broken a promise or ever failed anyone and He won’t start with you. Be encouraged!
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
Side note: If you feel that you are experiencing a long period of silence with The Lord, you are NOT alone but also know that you do not have to stay stuck or isolated. Reach out to a friend, Christian counselor, or group who can help stay beside you and encourage during this season. After all, that is what the body of Christ is for!
Under the Elm Tree 