The book of Job bothers most people because it never really addresses the issue of why people suffer and it is at least, in part, a story of God’s absence. While the narrator of the story and the readers of the story know the beginning and the end, Job finds himself “Living in the silent middle” struck down by tragedy.
And “Living in the Silent Middle” raises a lot of questions that we need to bring to God, openly and honestly.
I don’t understand why I feel like I dare not be frank with God, when He knows my thoughts anyway. If I don’t voice my concerns then I cut off the possibility of any meaningful and helpful dialogue even before it might take place.
“Living in the Silent Middle”, I’ve noticed, is sometimes the result of my own sinful independence. I lose myself in my own efforts to control my world and its then that God asks me like He asked a hiding Adam, “Where are you?” (Gen. 3:9).
Now as I understand it, God didn’t lose Adam; Adam lost Adam. Adam gave up his relationship of dependence and responsiveness to God. Adam knew he was estranged from God, but hadn’t really thought through all the implications of his actions.
This story painfully reminds us of the mystery that in our moments of great need, we often don’t realize just how desperate is our situation outside of our life circumstances. We too often focus on what is happening to us rather than who we are as we go through those hard times.
If I stop and remember that I’m not lost in the shuffle of life but am still loved personally and valued highly, then my situation is evaluated from a much more realistic perspective.
In the Genesis account God knew where Adam was even if Adam didn’t quite know where he was at or what was going on, for disorientation and a tendency to hide from God are the natural results of sin and disobedience. The purpose of “finding” God is to complete the circle of God finding us.
I read a story about an elderly lady who fell and broke her leg while attending a summer Bible conference. She said to the pastor who visited her, “I know the Lord led me to the conference. But I don’t see why this had to happen! And I don’t see any good coming from it.” Wisely, the pastor replied, “Romans 8:28 doesn’t say that we see all things working together for good. It says that we know it.”
And so maybe some of the best practical advice when we find ourselves “Living in the Silent Middle” may be just to “Be still cease striving and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
Then, just like Paul Harvey, at the right time He will likely reveal, “The Rest Of The Story.”
