Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Joseph Bentz's new book, Silent God: Finding Him When You Can’t Hear His Voice, (Beacon Hill Press, 2007).

You pray, but your prayers seem to bounce back to you unheard. You seek, but God’s voice is silent. So you wonder where God is – or even if He’s there at all.

The times when God is silent are tough to go through, but they have a purpose. If you hold onto your faith through the silence, you can find God even when you can’t hear His voice. Here’s how:

Know that God is still there. Remember God’s promises to always be present with you. Rest assured that He is there, even when you’re not aware of His presence. Trust Him to be faithful to His promises. Understand that God’s silence doesn’t mean He has abandoned you or is punishing you. Be confident that God’s fundamental position toward you is to love and reach out to you.

Consider the reasons why you might not be able to hear Him right now. Have you recently experienced a disappointment or tragedy that has made God seem far away? Have you been running away from Him in rebellion? Have doubts crept into your life and crowded God out? Is your life so filled with the noise of busyness that you can’t hear God’s voice above all the competing sounds? Recognize whether any of these reasons might apply to you. But also understand that sometimes you won’t be able to figure out why you can’t currently hear God.

Check your motivation for wanting to hear from God. Ask yourself honestly whether you really want to hear from God simply to connect with Him because you love Him, or whether you want to use Him to further your own agenda or increase your sense of self-importance. Understand that the purpose of communicating with God is to develop intimacy with Him, not to use Him to grant your requests.

Listen for a subtle voice instead of a loud, dramatic one. God most often chooses to speak in subtle ways. So tune into the ways He may already be speaking to you by making an effort to notice Him at work in your ordinary moments. Realize that, while God does sometimes decide to speak in dramatic ways, you shouldn’t limit your expectations to miracles. Seek God Himself rather than just the miracles He can perform. Move closer to God in your relationship with Him so you’ll be able to hear Him when He speaks subtly to you. Let the times when God is silent increase your faith and dependence upon Him.