Where Are You, God? Embracing the Wilderness

Have you ever experienced those moments where God felt so close that all you had to do was whisper His name, and you knew He was right there, ready to answer your prayers? Those moments when your heart was full of hope, and the connection between you and God felt unbreakable.

But what happens when that connection begins to fade? What do you do when it feels like you’re calling out to heaven, leaving message after message, but receive nothing in return? “God, where are you?” I remember a season in my life when I felt like God had set me on a shelf, lost and forgotten. The beauty of prayer, once so vibrant, felt muted.

In the past, it didn’t matter how small or trivial my prayers were; God responded immediately. Then the silence began. I would find myself sitting in reflection, asking if there was sin in my life that I needed to repent of. Quick to repent and keep a short list, I struggled to identify any consistent wrong doing that could justify the silence I experienced. Questions filled my mind: “Why are you silent? Why aren’t you talking to me? What did I do?”

In the midst of this confusion, I arrived at a crossroad. Tired of what felt like abandonment, I wrestled with the thought of giving up. Yet, deep down, I knew that my life apart from God was unimaginable. My heart was drawn to Him, and I began to pursue Him with all that I had left. As Jeremiah 29:13 reminds us, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

I pressed on, seeking Him diligently. And here’s the truth: when you earnestly seek God, He never disappoints. In the quiet wilderness, the pressing silence transformed into a journey of seeking; a time for God to strip away anything that was not of Him. The wilderness became a sanctuary where a deeper desire for Him grew within my heart.

Often, we find ourselves wanting to escape the wilderness. But it’s important to understand that these seasons are purposeful. They teach us resilience and encourage us to press in even when we feel like God’s faded away. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

The wilderness can feel isolating; however, if we learn to walk through it with God, it becomes a place of profound growth. He uses these times to create in us a longing for Him above everything else. The wilderness, often perceived as a void or a silence, is filled with an invitation from God to chase after Him relentlessly.

So, today, I ask you: Will you run away from the wilderness God may have placed you in, or will you embrace it? Choose to press on and allow Him to grow you through this season. Know that in your persistence, you will find Him there, waiting to reward your heart’s desires in ways you never anticipated.

In the moments of silence and stillness, remember: God is closer than you realize. Keep seeking, keep pressing in, and experience the transformation that comes from walking with Him in your wilderness.

References:

Job 23:8-9
Jeremiah 29:13
Hebrews 11:6