The Silent Years 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
(Romans 12:2)

 
As I have read the Bible, I’ve learned that most of the men and women whom God used greatly had to go through some silent years. Their stories often start with an awesome, life changing encounter with God. Then it seems…a long period of silence.
 
Here are a few examples;
 
Abraham – was called by God to leave the safety of all he knew to go to a place God would show him. With his wife unable to bear him children, Abram was 75 years of age when God promised him that he would make him ‘into a great nation’ (Genesis 12:1), and 100 years old at the birth of his son Isaac! You could say that the 25 years that passed in between the promise and its fulfilment were his silent years.
 
Joseph - was a young man with a dream, whose brothers mad jealousy drove them to sell him into slavery at the age of 17. Joseph went on to spend many difficult silent years in Egypt, where he endured much injustice and suffering. He was 30 years old when he was finally reunited with his brothers.
 
Moses - chosen by God to lead his people out of slavery and into the promised land. But after taking matters into his own hands, he fled and spent his 40 silent years in the wilderness before his dramatic encounter with God in the burning bush, and his journey continued.
 
Jesus - after His birth, except for his circumcision and dedication in the temple, we read no more about him until he was 12 years of age, and then again, nothing until the start of His ministry at the age of 30!
 
So, what happens during these silent years? What is God doing and were they really silent? I think in truth that these ‘silent years’ are of the utmost importance, and are in fact, the years in which behind the scenes, much is at work.
 
One way to analogise these silent years is to look at the concept of metamorphosis - the dramatic process of change and transformation from one form to another.
 
A caterpillar changing into a butterfly is probably the most well-known example of this. A caterpillar eats until it grows to the right size. It then proceeds to surround itself with a covering called a cocoon. At this stage it may burrow into the ground or hide itself behind a loose piece of bark. When it finally emerges – it’s transformation into a beautiful butterfly is unrecognisable, a far cry from the caterpillar that entered into the cocoon!
 
Just as the caterpillar must go through changes to be transformed into the beautiful butterfly, we too must go through changes in order to be transformed into the person whom God has created us to be. These changes can be painful, but as the caterpillar appears to find a place to hide in safety, God also provides for us.
 
Moses had left everything he knew behind him when he entered into the wilderness. Although the bible doesn’t give a very detailed account of those years, they appeared to be years in which things took place between God and Moses that were private and probably painful. Moses thought that he was running away from what he was called to do when he fled, little did he know at the time that he was actually being prepared for it. He would emerge all those years later, a very different Moses from the one who entered, transformed and ready for the task ahead.
 
We may all, at some time in our lives, go through similar silent years. But we can know and trust that God is using this time to do a great work in us. Our faith might be put to the test, our characters may be stretched and challenged, there may be some hard lessons to learn.  But be assured that He is doing so with a great purpose, changing us into His image to live and work for His glory, and we too will emerge transformed and ready for the next part of our story, in our walk with Him.