When the Silence Feels Heavy — God Is Still at Work

When life changes, and we begin something new, like a new year, silence can feel unsettling.  Christmas decorations are down and put away. The house can feel empty after all the holiday glitz and glitter. Perhaps you had family in, or you traveled to family, and now the house—and sometimes the heart—feels quieter than expected. For those in ministry, silence can feel like loss rather than rest.

Yet Scripture reminds us that God often works most deeply in quiet seasons. Selah or breath, a deep sigh of rest is soooo important.

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

Stillness is not absence—it is awareness. Silence is not emptiness—it is space. Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly draws His servants into quiet places before a new direction emerges. Moses spent years in the wilderness before leading Israel. Elijah heard God not in wind or fire, but in a gentle whisper. Even Jesus withdrew to solitary places to pray after seasons of intense ministry.

The ministry blues often surface when silence feels unproductive. Often, we measure our worth by our religious work in ministry. Our ministry activity can become more important than our stillness before the Lord. We equate movement with faithfulness and noise with fruitfulness. But God’s economy works differently. Deep Roots grow underground. Seeds germinate in darkness. 

We can only be Spirit-led if we are spending our time in stillness and silence with the Lord. He is not silent when there seems to be no Word from Him. His Word is always speaking to us if we ask Him to speak and get still enough to hear. Our issue is we will do almost anything else in ministry but be still. 

Psalm 127:1 reminds us, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” The ministry is not yours or mine. It’s HIS. He called us to it. He assigned us. He has spiritually gifted us for it, and unless He does it through us, it will not be done as it truly should be. Silence invites us to let go of the burden of self-sufficiency and to remember who truly sustains the work.

If this season feels quiet, ask not What am I losing? But what is God strengthening beneath the surface? What do I need to hear? Where do I need to allow the Lord to strengthen me?

Hope grows when we trust that God’s presence is not dependent on our activity. He is with YOU and me. He is faithful to YOU and me. We can trust Him. Joy returns when we allow silence to become sacred rather than threatening.

See you at a Refresh Retreat in 2026.

Being Still with you, Love, Diane