Refuse to Be Silent in Prayer

Carter Conlon

Stay strong when God seems to be silent, for the victory is still yours. It has not been taken away from you; you are not cut off from the life of God because of a few mistakes along the way, for that is not the way God operates. Simply turn to him as King David did — with all your heart.

After going through a season of silence — with difficulty, darkness and confusion — David wrote these words as part of the dedication of the temple: “Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; and to the Lord I made supplication” (Psalm 30:7-8). David was saying, “There was a season in my life where you hid your face from me. It seemed that you were no longer there. In the natural, all I saw was destruction around me, the foolishness of my own mistakes. It troubled me, but I cried to you.”

“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever” (30:11-12). In other words, “Even when I am foolish, you remain faithful. You have put a song of praise within me that is independent of my circumstances. You have put faith into my heart that things will be exactly as you said they would be so I am going to sing praise and give you thanks.”

In the same way, God has already put a song within your heart. Even though he is seemingly silent to you, refuse to be silent to him. Rejoice in him, knowing that he will surely fulfill every promise he has even given to you. God has been faithful to you and he always will be!

Carter Conlon joined the pastoral staff of Times Square Church in 1994 at the invitation of the founding pastor, David Wilkerson, and was appointed Senior Pastor in 2001.