The Silent Treatment

Have you ever been mad at your husband because he didn’t listen or do something that you wanted him to do that was very important and meaningful to you? And as a result you stopped talking to him and ignored him no matter how hard he tried to get back into your good grace. Okay, maybe not you. Have you ever been mad at your child or children because of disobedience that you refused to grant them some of their wishes even though they said, “I’m sorry mom”? Okay, maybe not you. Have you been mad at one your girlfriends for whatever reason because nobody really ever knows why anyway that you stopped talking to her? Okay, maybe not you. Well, maybe if you haven’t given anyone the silent treatment then perhaps someone has given it to you. If you’ve ever been given the silent treatment then you know that it is not a good feeling. It makes you angry and drives wedges between people that sometimes can be amended and sometimes not. If our loved ones can make us so mad that we refuse to talk to them and/or grant their wishes until we can get over it then have you ever stop to wonder if God feels the same way. Have you ever wondered why maybe some of your prayers have not been granted? Have you ever asked yourself the question, “Does God hear me, is He listening”? Have you been angry at God for not granting you your desires at the time of the request? If you answered yes to any one of those questions then you may need to ask yourself, “Is God giving me the silent treatment?” The book of Proverbs chapter one verses twenty - thirty-three is considered “The Call to Wisdom”. Wisdom in Proverbs is considered to be “the mind of God revealed”. In these scriptures wisdom is calling out to us to listen and to heed God’s instruction. It refers to those who don’t listen as “simple ones” or “fools (someone who is lazy, rebellious, angry or unable to tell right from wrong or good from bad)”. Just like us, God doesn’t like it when His children don’t listen and He is also capable of giving the silent treatment. The following verses reveal how God will give us the silent treatment (24-32 specifically) if we don’t obey: Pro 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: Pro 1:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, Pro 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Pro 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Pro 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; Pro 1:25 But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; Pro 1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Pro 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: Pro 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: Pro 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Pro 1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. Pro 1:32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. Pro 1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. Wow, I would hate to call on God and He just ignores me. In addition to praying in God’s will the above scriptures will let us know whether God is simply not answering us or whether He has other plans. They also tell us that we just can’t live any kind of way, reject God’s word and expect for Him to come running in our time of need just because we called. Yes, God has made many promises that we can stand on but He has also made request of us that if we don’t heed will sever the relationship. Let us therefore, heed the advice and instruction of God so that we may dwell safely in His arms and not be given the “Silent Treatment”. I pray sweet blessings for you and your family. Love, Benita