When Jesus Seems Silent

There are times in life when it seems like you've hit more than a bump in the road, times when it seems like you keep tripping over one rock after another. You know the old saying, "When it rains, it pours." Let me tell you, friend, when those times come, it can be hard to find Jesus. You know that He's there, you believe His promises, but you just can't see Him. It seems as if He's gone silent.

Let me take you on a quick walk down the road to Emmaus. Read Luke 24:14-17 very carefully. Jesus came and walked with these men, but they were kept from recognizing Him. Not knowing that their Savior was right there with them, their faces were downcast. If you read the verses that follow, you'll see that Jesus let them walk the whole way down the road without revealing Himself. Why?

What you need to notice is the conversation that happens in verses 18-30. Jesus allowed these men to pour out their hearts to Him, to tell them why there were so downcast, without butting into the conversation. He then went on to reveal Scripture to them, still without revealing Himself.

I believe that Jesus, in all of His perfect knowledge, knew that these men had to have a chance to process all they had just been through. He knew that revealing Himself too soon, as exciting and wonderful as it would be, would not give these men the time they needed to fully comprehend the enormity of what it meant that Jesus was alive. The Creator of all things knows how our human minds work, and He knows that it takes us time to process traumatic events. So He kept the men from recognizing Him for a time.

Consider that He might be doing the same for you. Jesus knows you so well, and He knows exactly what you need and exactly when you need it. He may let you struggle for a time, but it isn't because He doesn't love you. It's because He loves you so much that He wants you to be able to process your pain, all the while walking beside you. And He will reveal Himself to you, just like He did to the men on the road to Emmaus. Just hold on to His promises, keep walking down the road, and wait for His perfect timing.