Restoration Sermon | The Silence of God | When the Answer is No

This powerful message takes us deep into the tension of waiting on God when all we hear is silence. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, we're invited to explore five profound reasons why God sometimes says no to our prayers and desires. First, we discover that God's power shows up best in weak people—when we're broken into small enough pieces, we're less likely to steal His glory and more able to become vessels for His strength. Second, God often has something better in mind than what we're asking for ourselves, though we can't see it in the moment. Third, sometimes what feels like a no is actually a call to stick and stay right where we are. Fourth, we encounter the mystery of kairos—God's perfect timing that spans days, months, or even years of waiting. And fifth, sometimes God's no is simply Him protecting us from doing something that would harm us. Throughout this journey, we're reminded of Jesus in Gethsemane, wrestling with the silence of God, drinking the cup of suffering to the dregs so that we could find our way back to abundant life. When we're living in God's no—weeping, waiting, wrestling—we're called to trust His heart toward us, knowing that His silence is never abandonment but always purposeful love working toward a better yes.