Climb

Published: May 13, 2022, midnight

b'Does silence ever make you uncomfortable? It makes me uncomfortable sometimes. Especially when I am trying to get to know a new friend. I often feel nervous when there is a lull in the conversation, leaving an awkward silence. And although it is not a sin, we probably all know someone who talks like silence is a sin. For some reason, it seems we like to avoid silence. Yet, I have found that silence can be an ultimate sign of comfort.\\nIn my closest relationships, I find that I don\\u2019t feel awkward when there is silence between us. I don\\u2019t feel pressured to perform or guilty that I am not entertaining them. I feel safe around someone when I know it is okay not to speak\\u2014when I can just sit and enjoy being in their presence. To me, it\\u2019s a sign of a healthy relationship when silence becomes comfortable.\\nIn the same way, I think it\\u2019s easy for us to feel pressure or discomfort when God seems silent. God always loves to hear us talk to Him in prayer, and He always answers in His perfect timing. But I wonder if the times we feel like God is silent are actually opportunities for us to rest in the assurance of our relationship with Him. Jesus came to earth to make right our broken relationship with Him and give us an opportunity to be with Him again. And I think part of restoring that right relationship could be obtaining a comfortable silence\\u2014a peace in God\\u2019s presence and character. \\u2022 Abigail Scibiur\\n\\u2022 Do you feel uncomfortable when it seems like God is silent? Why do you think you feel uncomfortable in those times? \\n\\u2022 If we\\u2019ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that we are totally secure in His love (John 10:28-30). How might this truth give you hope in times of silence?\\n\\u2022 Do you agree that \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153comfortable silence\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d is a sign of a healthy relationship? Do you feel like you have that kind of relationship with God? Who is a trusted Christian you could talk to about practices that might help you grow closer to God? \\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in his love\\u2026\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d Zephaniah 3:17 (CSB)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nPs.94.17-Ps.94.19|Ps.119.105|Ps.147.10-Ps.147.11'