In our modern and fast-paced world, the very notion than we can hear God speak seems absurd to some people. To others, to hear the voice of God speaking into their lives and their daily struggles is something they long for.

No matter how the world perceives the idea of the voice of God being heard by humans, it is something we hope for, but often find elusive.

Dr. Joseph Bentz, professor of English at Azusa Pacific University in California, has taken up the challenge of helping Christians in their search to hear God’s voice. In his book, Silent God: Finding Him when You Can’t Hear His Voice, published by Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, he gives readers a number of reasons why God’s voice might seem so elusive. He also offers some advice from his own life and journey to help those who long to hear God speak in their own lives.

Dr. Bentz acknowledges that the idea of hearing God speak seems a little out of place in our modern world.

“Maybe the very idea that we think we’re hearing from God means that we’re either manipulative, presumptuous, or just plain crazy. Out of fear of being misunderstood, we might avoid ever mentioning His voice in our lives at all.”[1]

Dr. Bentz shares stories from his own life. He tells how, as a young child, he clearly heard the voice of God through the Holy Spirit. But as with many Christians, the years brought increased life responsibilities, and, unfortunately, increased noise that seemed to block the Holy Spirit’s efforts to speak to him.

Dr. Bentz offers a number of ways that Christians today can reduce the noise of our busy world in order to begin to restore the connection with God’s voice. He also offers encouragement to Christians by reminding them that even the heroes of the Bible, like Abraham and Moses, experienced times in their spiritual walks when God seemed silent. He reminds us that when times of silence do occur, we must be very careful not to misinterpret what God is doing.

“Most of us will experience times in our lives when God goes silent . . . . Not understanding what is happening, we may panic. We may rebel. We may sink into discouragement. Tragically, we may misinterpret God’s silence and give up on Him altogether.”[2]

Dr. Bentz encourages readers to dig into the Word of God and do their part to understand God and what His silence in their lives might mean. He believes that when we understand better how God works, our faith and trust in Him will grow.

“Deep faith is nurtured gradually as we listen for His voice, spend time with His Word, immerse ourselves in the community of other believers, and trust God as He works slowly and sometimes inexplicably through the various circumstances of our lives.”[3]

Dr. Bentz’s book is perfect for anyone who wants to understand more about God’s silence and longs to hear His voice. The book is divided into 10 topical chapters and includes A Guide for Personal or Group Study. This guide offers questions for the individual to contemplate or for a group to share, along with inspiring quotes and scripture to help enhance your time of study.

You can read more about Silent God, at the link above. There are also links there to view a sample chapter and a portion of the “Guide for Personal or Group Study.”

Silent God is $14.99 and has 192 pages.

Other titles by Dr. Bentz from Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City include:

When God Takes Too Long: Learning to Thrive During Life’s Delays, 2005

Contributed by Dan Harris – Coordinator of Evangelism – Nazarene Children’s Ministries International