Let Down | God's Silence

As he was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child she carries was conceived by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20-21 CEB)

Joseph was at the lowest point of his life. His engagement was over. His future was gone. His heart was broken. And he'd made the decision to walk away quietly and try to salvage what was left of his shattered dreams. And then...God showed up in a dream.

An angel appeared to Joseph and told him everything. Mary hadn't been unfaithful. The child she was carrying was from the Holy Spirit. This baby was going to save people from their sins. And Joseph shouldn't be afraid to take Mary as his wife.

In one moment, everything changed. The story Joseph thought he knew was completely wrong. The future he thought was over was actually just beginning. The loneliness he thought he'd have to live with was about to be replaced by a family he never could have imagined.

But here's what I want us to notice: God waited until Joseph was at his lowest point before he showed up. But why? Why didn't God send the angel before Joseph found out Mary was pregnant? Why didn't God explain everything before Joseph's heart was broken? Why did God wait until Joseph had decided to walk away before he intervened?

We don't know for sure. But I think there's something important here about timing. Sometimes God doesn't show up when we want him to. Sometimes he waits. Sometimes he lets us walk through the valley before he speaks. Sometimes he allows us to reach the end of ourselves before he steps in.

And that can be frustrating. It can make us feel like God doesn't care or isn't paying attention. We cry out for help, and the heavens seem silent. We beg for answers, and we hear nothing. We feel completely alone, and God seems nowhere to be found.

But what Joseph's story teaches us is that God's silence doesn't mean God's absence. God was there the whole time. God knew what was happening. God saw Joseph's pain. And God had a plan all along. God just waited until the right moment to reveal it.

I don't know why God sometimes works that way. I don't know why he doesn't always answer our prayers the moment we pray them. I don't know why he lets us walk through valleys when he could simply lift us over them.

But I do know this: when God finally does show up, when he finally does speak, when he finally does reveal what he's been doing all along...it's always worth the wait. Always.

Joseph spent days, maybe weeks, in agony. But when God finally spoke, everything made sense. The pain didn't disappear, but it had purpose. The confusion didn't vanish, but it had meaning. The loneliness didn't end immediately, but it was bearable because Joseph finally understood that God was with him.

If you're waiting for God to show up right now, if you're in that valley wondering where he is and why he hasn't answered yet, I want you to hold on. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Because God sees you. God knows what you're going through. And at just the right moment, God will speak.

Closing Prayer:

God, sometimes your silence is deafening. Sometimes we cry out for help and hear nothing in return. But help us to remember that your silence doesn't mean your absence. You're here. You see us. You know what we need. Give us the patience to wait for your timing and the faith to trust that you'll show up at just the right moment. Amen.