When God Feels Silent and Your Heart Feels Dry, Peace Is Still Possible
How many of you have stared up at the ceiling late at night and wondered if your prayers even made it past the walls? Does this sound familiar—a silent room, a heavy heart, and a list of prayers that feel like they went unanswered? I'm with you. I've been living there lately. And here's the thing—sometimes, when God feels silent, that's when we need His peace the most.
Let me tell you about these last few months—Finding Hope After Loss by growing spiritually and embracing suffering. In our recent podcast episode, I opened up about everything we've been walking through as a family, finding hope after loss and renewal. My daughter was diagnosed with a rare anemia. Suddenly, our world shrunk to hospital rooms, medical updates, car rides for six-hour check-ins, and a calendar that revolved around test results. Some days it all felt manageable, but most days, it just felt like too much. Does any of this echo in your life right now?
Why Does God Feel Silent When We Need Answers So Badly?
Can I tell you something honest? It's confusing when you keep pressing in, reading your Bible, praying hard, and it seems like God is just... quiet, but many find Finding God in Hard Times to carry them through. There were mornings I opened my Bible and the words felt flat—Trusting God Through Waiting helped me endure, and finding God in hard times has carried me through. I would pray driving to the hospital and it felt like I was just talking to the dashboard. I know He’s there. I know, in my head, God never leaves. But when you’re in those seasons—when God feels silent—it’s easy to feel stuck.
It’s Not Just You, Friend
We don't talk about these dry seasons enough—Building Authentic Community can help. I know, from our community, that so many of us have been there. The silent stretches aren’t because you’ve messed up or because God loves you less—Finding Purpose in Suffering offers biblical lessons from Job and Joseph for today. Honestly, even faithful, passionate believers walk through these moments, Christian approach to mental health can offer help.
Scripture in the Dry Places
Psalm 34:18 in the CSB says, "The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit." Isn't that something? Deepening relationship with God can be part of the journey. Even when our hearts are cracked and our faith feels thin, He’s close by—even if He feels silent. I clung to that verse during the nights my daughter couldn’t sleep from pain. It wasn’t magical. Just a quiet reminder that I’m not the only one here.
What Does Faith Look Like When God Feels Silent?
I found myself asking—what does trusting God look like when God feels silent? It turns out, it’s usually small and quiet. Not grand. Not loud. Not dramatic.
Keep Showing Up, Even When It Feels Flat
On the hardest mornings, I kept reading my Bible. Yes, even when it just felt like words. At night, I played worship music in our cramped RV because sometimes, that was enough to shift the room (if not my heart). You see, when God feels silent, faith is sometimes just consistency. Just showing up. Just whispering, “I trust You.” That counts.
The Peace That Really Doesn't Make Sense
Let me be clear: Not every day has been full of joy. But there have been moments when peace shows up out of nowhere. Little things. A nurse who took extra time with my daughter. My girl riding her bike after weeks of being too weak. Or the simple smile on her face at the end of a hard day. I call those "grace moments." They're small, but they're real.
How Can We Find Hope When God Feels Silent?
I've learned that waiting for clarity before believing God is with me isn't faith—it's just comfort-seeking. Real faith is saying, "Lord, I know You are here—silent or not—so I'm going to keep talking, keep hoping, and keep loving."
Look for the Grace Moments
- A worship song that hits you right when you need it
- A friend who checks in even when you haven’t asked
- Your child’s laughter after weeks of worry
- A stranger saying, "Let me help with that"
We thank God out loud for these moments, even if it’s just one each day. Some days that one is all you have, but it’s enough.
Get Outside, Move, and Rest (For Real)
Taking walks with my husband became lifelines. Sometimes we talked, sometimes we just listened to the wind or the birds. There was a peace in just moving my feet. If you’re feeling hemmed in, can I gently encourage you to go outside? Walk, notice the sky, listen to the quiet. Let that count as prayer while God feels silent.
And don't forget to rest. Say "yes" when someone offers to help. Say "no" when you need a break. I had friends who told me to sit down and rest, and I am so grateful. If you don’t have someone like that in your life, I am praying you find that kind of friend. We need helpers in these dry seasons.
What If Prayers Feel Unanswered and You Just Feel Stuck?
You might be thinking, "But what if I do all this and God is still silent?" You’re not alone. There are so many stories in the Bible where people felt exactly that. Elijah—one of the strongest men of faith—heard God in a whisper, not in the earthquake, not in the fire. Sometimes, when God feels silent, it just means He’s near in a different way than we expect.
Remember the Promises, Even When You Can't Feel Them
- His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23)
- He is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18, CSB)
- The Spirit prays for us when words fail (Romans 8)
I say these out loud. Even when my feelings aren't there, the truth stands. That is faith.
What Helps When God Feels Silent?
Let me share what’s actually helped me in this season. I hope these are helpful for you too:
- Getting outside for a walk (with my husband or alone)
- Letting worship music fill the background
- Thanking God out loud for at least one thing daily
- Asking for help, and allowing myself to rest
- Staying connected with friends and our church community
These things aren’t fancy or difficult. They are small steps that make space for God’s peace, even when He feels silent.
Talking It Out With People Who Totally Get It
Find someone safe to talk to, someone who won’t give you pat answers but will just listen. We need each other. Being honest about your dry season is part of the healing. There’s no shame in it. I promise.
When God Feels Silent, Peace Is Still Real
Let me say this louder for both of us: you are not broken just because your spirit feels dry or your prayers feel like whispers in the wind. When God feels silent, He has not gone anywhere. He’s close. He sees. He loves. And He cares—even when it feels like you’re in a holding pattern and nothing’s moving. There is light ahead, friend. Hold on.
Peace often shows up long before clarity. It settles in your chest, in the midst of the fog, and reminds you that you are not walking through this alone. When God feels silent, let faith be the anchor that holds you steady. Even the smallest shift in perspective can help you find your footing again.
If this spoke to you today, can I encourage you to share it with someone who might need it too? And, if you want to hear more of my story and the practical, faith-filled ways I’m learning to press in when God feels silent, listen to the full podcast episode "When Peace Doesn’t Make Sense: Trusting God in the Weight of It All." I’m here, I’m praying for you, and together, we can find hope even when God is quiet. You are not alone.
