Divine Silence

Song of Solomon 5:6 is a mysterious verse. The Bride has decided to follow her Beloved no matter how difficult the path would become. Her eyes are focused on Him. She is smitten by Him and His heart is ravished by her. Together they will conquer the world. Then, there is this:

I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

It was 2012. The New Year had just passed and I was summoned to the hospital where I had worked for 8 years. The head nurse said a patient had complained about me and she was going to have to let me go. I was fired. No matter what I said the verdict remained the same. My defense rested on deaf ears. I had been a nurse 30 years. I had the highest degree in nursing that a person could receive (a PhD). I worked clinically, in research and in the college classroom educating future nurses. This was just not a job. It was my life’s calling.

I prayed, but God was silent. I sought Him, but I could not find Him. I called to Him, but He gave no answer. I wrote about this agony. My dear cyber-friend, Cora, said, “Have you ever read “Dark Night of the Soul” by St John of the Cross? I had not. She recommended I do.

Mike Bickle says God sometimes withdraws the discernable feelings of His manifest presence to test us and to bring our love to maturity as she prayed in Song 4:16. This is not because of sin, nor is it an attack of the devil. God sometimes hides His face from the obedient to draw out the yearning of their heart for Him in greater ways. Some Catholic contemplatives in the Middle Ages spoke of “the dark night of the soul” referring to seasons of divine testing for those walking in obedience to God. When I read Song of Solomon 5:6, I immediately thought of the time I spent that year plodding through St John of the Cross’ book.

It was in the divine silence of that year that I learned so much about myself. I blogged my way through the book and those writings are still here if you want to sample a bit of them. Friends who are reading here now may remember that time. Many of you left invaluable comments along the way. I truly know of what this verse speaks. It is a desperate time, a dark time, a lonely time. It is winter. He hasn’t left (Hebrews 13:5), there are just no discernable feelings of His presence. Mike Bickle says, “This season of divine silence is part of His training to cause our love for Him to mature. In the time of testing our confession of faith must remain constant: ‘His banner over me is love’ (Song 2:4).”

Remember Job who was afflicted, but his faithfulness when God was not answering cemented an intimacy with God that few ever experience this side of heaven. Job got to see God!

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.” (Job 42:5)