When Claire McGarry reads about Jesus' silence after a mother pleads for her child, she begins to see what that silence could hold.
When a mother approaches Jesus in sheer anguish, begging Him to heal her demon possessed child, Jesus doesn't utter a word.
Jesus did not answer a word. (Matthew 15:23)
Someone more timid could have read His lack of a response as a rejection. Admitting defeat, she might have turned around and left. But not this mother. She views Jesus' silence as Him listening. She also sees it as an open door to walk through. Not only does she walk through that door, but she gets close to Jesus, drops to her knees, and pleads for His help.
What happens next is a conversation between the woman and Jesus -- a back-and-forth that challenges the woman to further advocate for what she needs, and further clarify for herself how Jesus is the only answer. The entire process galvanizes her faith, cementing it so solid, Jesus grants her request because of her faith.
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If we viewed God's silence as Him listening, it would change everything. #catholicmom
How often do we misread God's silence? How often do we interpret it as a rejection and feel ignored? In doing so, we may be tempted to turn our pleading into anger, directing it at God in our misinterpretation.
What if we saw God's silence like this mother did? What if we viewed it as Him listening, and as an open door? What if we walked through that door, moved closer to God, dropped to our knees, and begged for what we needed?
I believe that if we did, our time with God would be spent further advocating for what we need, and further clarifying for ourselves just how dependent on Him we are. In the process, everything would change. Either He'd grant our request because of our deepened faith, or we'd understand why He doesn't, accepting it as His will, trusting that it's what's best for us.
Copyright 2021 Claire McGarry
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