He hears you in your silence

There were several times in my youth that Mom’s illness required a hospital stay. When I was ten, her stay became an extended one due to her needing surgery. My Dad and older siblings did what was required to keep the house as normal as possible until she was well again. Hospitals differed in those days; children under twelve were not allowed to visit the patients. It would be several weeks before I saw her again.
One Friday evening, Dad did not make the usual trip to the hospital. Instead, he and I went to an old homesite covered in overgrowth somewhere in the county. Grabbing the shovel, Dad began digging up different plants and bulbs while I placed them in the truck bed. We worked late into the night, planting our findings in our front yard. He wanted Mom to have a beautiful lawn to welcome her home.
I know this time in my life must have been painful, but I do not remember the pain, only the special memory of planting the front yard. In retrospect, I know Dad had understood what I could not say, and he found a way to help me through the hurt—that evening spent with him kept me connected by allowing me to be a part of his gift to Mom.
There have been other moments in my life when I have felt disconnected, like that ten-year-old girl—moments when the chaos of this world shook my foundation. I have found my relationship with other believers beneficial in times of hurt. As people of faith, we are called to pray for one another so we can be healed. Scripture teaches there is power in the prayers of the righteous (James 5:16). The Prophet Samuel writes that it would be a sin against the Lord if we failed to pray for another (1 Samuel 12:23). Therefore, in moments of hurt I have reached out to find healing in the prayers of others.
However, unspoken requests are also a part of our relationship with God. Jesus had an unspoken request: quiet times with God. In Mark 1:35, we read that Jesus got up while it was still dark to go to a solitary place to be with the Father. People often crowded in on Jesus, wanting to be healed, and Jesus healed them. Then there were those moments when Jesus slipped away to be alone so He could pray (Luke 5:15-16). We never read what His prayer consisted of, only that He prayed.
My Dad knew my hurt because he knew me, and he loved me. It is the same with our Heavenly Father. He knows us. He knows there are days when we have a voice, and we can request the prayers of the righteous. Yet God knows there will be days when we are silenced by hurt or fear; all we need is to be in His presence. On those days, He will steer us away from the crowds, touching us with His stillness.
The Lord understands every detail of our lives. He knows our thoughts, patterns, and words before we speak them. He understands our unspoken needs. The Psalmist writes that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139). It does not matter where you are today, with a voice or without. He hears you. He is listening, even in the silence, to what you cannot speak. Reach out to the Father today. His greatest desire is to bring you healing.

Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.