In the silence

Last night I took another look at one of my favourite books, Esther by Chuck Swindoll. I don't remember reading chapter 8 (God's Surprising Sovereignty) where Chuck highlights Esther's wisdom in knowing when to act and when to wait. I certainly haven't been good at doing this - so reading it really challenged me. Here are a few paragraphs that particularly stood out to me:

How do we live in the fog without panic? How do we live our lives in this little space, not knowing where the shore is - especially during the times when we do not hear His reassuring voice? To put it simple and straight, we do it by discovering how God works, by having confidence in Him. p126

Life is filled with sustained periods of silence. Often. But those periods of God's silence are just as significant as the times when He speaks. They're far more painful, but they are nevertheless significant. And during those times on that fog-bound lake, you need ears of faith to listen for His voice. p128

...God wants to reveal His will to you and to teach you while you are waiting... There are tangible things to connect with. Passages of Scripture that bring comfort and insight. Messages that enlighten and enliven. Certain people you respect. Tap into those, wait, and listen with a sensitive ear... Don't talk so much! Believers who are maturing not only respect God's silence, they model it as well. p135