My 7th and 8th-grade science teacher, Mrs. Hayes, had a reputation for being tough, to say the least. She was strict and very structured in all that she did. This was especially true when it was time for a test.
Although it has been 30 years since I was in her classroom, I still remember the following instructions she would utter each and every time there was a test: “Students, get out two and only two perfectly clean sheets of paper. Put all other papers inside your books, and put all books under your desk. This is a test. There will be no talking or any form of communication. You are only allowed to look down at your test paper—no looking up, to your left, or to your right. When you are finished with your test, you will put your head down. The test begins now.”
She would then proceed to walk around the classroom, up and down the aisles the whole time we took the test. If she suspected a student of cheating, she would tap them on the shoulder, escort them to the hall, and make them stand outside the classroom for the remainder of the test. This rarely happened, however, because, quite frankly, all the students were too scared to cheat!
Once the test began, there were no words from her. She was silent— not an utterance. Although she did not speak, you knew she was there. If there was something you did not understand on the test, then you were up a creek without a paddle with a hole in the boat. She did not respond to raised hands. It was test time, and she was serious about it.
However, although she was silent, you knew she was in the room during the test—watching, observing, while she administered the test.
I have learned that in life, the teacher is often silent during the test.
There have been times in my life when I went through a difficult test, a horrific trial. May I be honest? During those difficulties, there were times I truly questioned where God was in my situation and circumstance. It made no sense, and I just did not understand what He was doing. What was He, the Teacher, trying to teach me?
Did He care? Was He concerned? I by no means want to question the Lord, but I just did not understand why I was going through the test, let alone why it seemed like He was not even speaking. There were no answers. I would raise my hand and ask “why” yet, He remained silent.
There are plenty of trials that I have experienced in life, as we all have. Yes, some were absolutely my own fault. However, there are some hardships I have faced that I absolutely did not understand the why.
You may be in a situation right now where you simply do not understand why. Let me remind you that, oftentimes, the teacher is silent during the test. I have discovered, though, that even when you can’t track Him, you can trust Him! He may feel far away, but I promise, He is near!
By the way, I hear preachers say it is a sin to ask why. May I remind you that Jesus, on the cross of Calvary, said, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” We know Jesus is the sinless Savior, so I do not believe that it is a sin to ask why. However, sometimes the Lord does not reveal to us the why. When we do not understand the why, we can trust Him still!
You may be in a fiery trial right now. The Lord is trying to teach you something. You do not understand why He is silent. May I remind you today that while He may seem to be silent, He is still in the room. He is observing.
He is aware. He is concerned. He does care, and He is able!
“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” - Job 23:10
Jimmy Barrett is a resident of Blackshear and pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Waycross.
