Now, it's important to be clear that God did not stop moving. He was making preparations for His son to enter the world. However, for the time being, nothing was being prophesied, and He wasn't speaking to anyone. Think about that. 400 years!! That means multiple generations may never have gotten to hear Him speak. Think about the faith you would have needed to believe in God during that time. I believe that may be the hardest time period to have been a believer. The people before you in the Old Testament had physical miracles and verbal talks with God, the people in the Gospels had the Son of God in person, and everyone on this side of the Gospels has the ability to see God's workings and feel convictions from the Spirit inside us. Only during those 400 years did God stop speaking.
Have you ever walked through a period of God's "silence?" That's where I'm at right now, and things that remind me of this are everywhere right now. I know Jeremiah 29:11 says God made me for a purpose. I believe it. I believe what He did through Moses and Abraham and Noah. I believe there are so many instances where a lack of faith or trust was all that stood between man and a miracle. But I don't see it. I don't see opportunity for me to step out in faith. I don't feel God's leading towards any particular mission trip this year, but I believe God wants us to go and tell. I don't feel God pulling my heart toward any particular life goal, but I believe He uses anyone who is willing. I never know where to start when I open the Bible, but I believe He speaks to us through His Word. He constantly gives me clarity in the day-to-day decisions, but I feel like there is no direction towards a bigger picture. I'm saying, "Here I am, Lord, send me," yet feel no calling to go anywhere.
I'm even a little nervous writing this, because I don't want this to appear as some kind of "pity party." It's honestly me reaching out to people who feel like this now or who have walked through this before but found direction. To those here with me, you're not alone. That's the only wisdom I have about it, but I do know that. To those who have been here, please leave a comment. Maybe there's a better way for me to listen. Maybe there's a different perspective for me to grasp. I have no answers, but I'm willing to ask.
"When You don't move the mountains I'm needing you to move,
When You don't part the waters I wish I could walk through,
When You don't give the answers as I cry out to You,
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You."
-Trust in You, Lauren Daigle