When God Seems Silent

It was 4 a.m. on July 4, 2025. The lives of people in Kerr County, TX; Mystic Camp; and many surrounding counties throughout the vast Guadalupe River Hill Country changed forever in the blink of an eye when devastating floodwaters decimated everything in their path. When the floodwaters receded, the grief remained.

Yet we are left searching for words. How? Why? Parents lost children. Children lost parents. Grandparents lost grandchildren. Communities lost neighbors. Siblings lost siblings. Friends lost friends. Husbands lost wives, and wives lost husbands. Hearts broke across the nation as we watched the images flash across the TV screen. And perhaps you, reading this, are among those who now carry that grief.

It is in moments like these—when the weight becomes too great, the questions too many, and the answers too few—that the cry of King Jehoshaphat becomes our own in
2 Chronicles 20:12:

“O God, we do not know what to do, but we are looking to You for help.”

There are no right words to soften sorrow. But there is a holy truth we cling to: even when the floods of life rise, God remains sovereign. Even when God appears silent, He is not absent. He is not unaware. He is present—in the chaos, in the silence, and in the grief.

Scripture reminds us again and again that the Lord is near the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). He collects our tears in a bottle, and each one is recorded in His book (Psalm 56:8). And He walks with us through the waters (Isaiah 43:2). He does not always stop the storm, but He promises to stand with us in the middle of the storm.

Floods are not limited to natural disasters. Floods come in many forms: grief, loss, depression, sickness, betrayal. And when they do, they threaten to drown our hope. We can feel as if all hope is lost. However, in Christ, we find a Rock that is higher than the waters (Psalm 61:2). We find an Anchor that holds on to us.

Listen closely: the people of Kerr County, TX, and beyond now face the long and painful journey of rebuilding. And the truth is that some of you reading this devotional do as well. Your floods may be invisible to others, yet devastating nonetheless. It’s in these times, as painful as they may be, that I encourage you to lift your eyes and hearts to the One who sees, who knows, and who loves you with an unshakable and unconditional love. Lean into the God of heaven—even if He appears silent in the moment.

What floodwaters are you enduring in your life today? Whatever they are, shift your gaze upward—even if just for a moment. He will never leave you, and He will never forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Love God. Love People. Live Sent.