Ever feel like you’re praying to the ceiling? That’s exactly how prayer can feel sometimes. You’re calling out to God, but all you hear back is… silence.
I have been there. We’ve all been there.
Maybe you’re there right now.
You’re wondering if God’s listening, if He cares, or if He’s somehow forgotten about you completely.
Well, I have some good news.
God’s silence doesn’t mean God’s absence. Here are five promises from the Bible to help you with emotional stability.
Promise 1: God’s Presence Never Changes (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Here’s what God says in Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
We love to go to the New Jersey shore during the summer. We spend time there every summer, and I absolutely love the ocean – there’s something about watching the waves that always draws me in. I’m one of those people who can sit for hours just observing what’s happening along the shoreline.
Well, one afternoon I was watching these tide pools during low tide, feeling pretty discouraged about my own spiritual dry spell. The water had retreated so far that these little rocky pools looked almost empty. But when I got closer, I realized they were teeming with life. Tiny crabs scuttling around, sea anemones still waving, little fish darting between the rocks.
The ocean hadn’t abandoned these creatures. It was just… elsewhere for a moment. The tide would return, just like it always does. But even during low tide, life continued.
God’s presence works the same way. Just because you can’t feel Him doesn’t mean He’s packed up and left. His character never changes. His commitment to you never wavers. The waves of your emotions might retreat, but the ocean of His love remains constant.
Here’s what I want you to try this week. Start an observation journal. Each day, notice one thing in nature that stays consistent. Maybe it’s the way your dog greets you every morning, or how the sun rises in the east, or how that old oak tree in your yard keeps standing no matter what weather hits it. Write it down. Let these small consistencies remind you of God’s unchanging faithfulness.
And here’s a fun activity for your kids. Create a “God is always with me” nature scavenger hunt. Have them find things that represent God’s constant presence – rocks that don’t move, trees with deep roots, or even their own shadow that follows them everywhere. It’s amazing how nature teaches us about spiritual truths.
Promise 2: He Works in Silence (Isaiah 55:11)
Isaiah 55:11 tells us: “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
You know what fascinates me? Most of a plant’s growth happens underground where we can’t see it. I planted tulip bulbs last fall, and all winter long they looked completely dead. Just brown, lifeless-looking things buried in frozen dirt. But underneath, roots were spreading. Nutrients were being stored. Life was happening in the dark.
God’s word works exactly like this. Even when you can’t see results from your prayers, even when you feel like you’re talking to the ceiling, His word is accomplishing its purpose. It’s working beneath the surface of your circumstances, preparing something beautiful you can’t imagine yet.
I learned this lesson the hard way in my own garden. I kept digging up my seeds to check if they were growing. Guess what happened? Nothing grew. I had to learn to trust the process, to believe that growth was happening even when I couldn’t see it.
Here’s a practical way to remember this truth. Plant some actual seeds with your kids. Beans work great because they sprout quickly. As you’re watering them each day, talk about how God’s promises are growing in your heart even when you can’t see them yet. When those first green shoots appear, celebrate together. God’s word never returns empty, just like those seeds won’t stay buried forever.
Promise 3: His Love is Unfailing (Psalm 136:1)
Psalm 136:1 declares: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.”
You know what amazes me about lighthouses?
They keep beaming their light even when fog is so thick that ships can’t see the shore. The lighthouse keeper doesn’t stop the light just because visibility is poor. That beam keeps rotating, keeps shining, keeps guiding ships safely home.
God’s love is like that lighthouse beam. It doesn’t depend on whether you can see it or feel it. It just keeps shining, steady and sure.
And here’s something else incredible. Migratory birds navigate using magnetic fields they can’t see, hear, or touch.
A tiny warbler weighing less than a pencil will fly thousands of miles following invisible signals. These birds don’t need to understand the science. They just trust their built-in navigation system.
Sometimes we need to be like those birds. We need to trust God’s love even when we can’t sense it, even when our feelings are telling us otherwise. His love operates beyond our ability to perceive it.
Tonight, take your family outside for some stargazing. Look up at all those stars you can see, then remember that there are billions more your eyes can’t detect. Talk about how God’s love is like that vast universe – so much bigger than what we can observe. Let the night sky remind you that unseen doesn’t mean unreal.
Promise 4: He Hears Every Prayer (Psalm 65:2)
Psalm 65:2 says: “You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.”
Did you know that whale songs can travel across entire ocean basins? A humpback whale singing off the coast of Hawaii can be heard by another whale near Alaska. These massive creatures communicate across impossible distances through the deep ocean channels.
Your prayers work the same way. Even when you can’t hear God’s response, your message was received. Even when the silence feels deafening, your words reached their destination.
Prayer isn’t a conversation where you need to hear an immediate reply to know you’ve been heard. It’s more like sending a letter to someone who loves you deeply. You don’t need the postman to confirm delivery – you trust that your message will reach the right hands.
Here’s what I want you to try. Start writing your prayers as actual letters to God. Keep them in a special journal or box. When you’re feeling unheard, go back and read some of your old prayers. You’ll be amazed at how many of them God answered in ways you didn’t even notice at the time.
Promise 5: His Timing is Perfect (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
Winter isn’t the earth giving up on spring. It’s preparation. Animals know this instinctively. Bears hibernate not because they’re lazy, but because their internal clocks tell them it’s time to rest and restore. Birds migrate not because they’re running away, but because they’re following ancient rhythms of survival.
God’s silence often precedes breakthrough. Those quiet seasons aren’t punishment – they’re preparation. Trust the rhythm even when you can’t see the pattern.
When your feelings waver, hold tight to these promises. Spiritual seasons are normal and temporary. If you’re in a silent season right now, pray this with me: “God, help me trust Your presence, Your work, Your love, Your listening ear, and Your perfect timing. Even in the quiet, I choose to believe.” Subscribe for more biblical encouragement.