Almost everyone who prays seriously reaches a moment when God feels quiet.
Not absent exactly—but distant. You’re showing up, saying the words, carving out the time, and still… nothing seems to happen. No clarity. No consolation. No sense that your prayer is “working.”
If that’s where you are right now, take heart. Silence is not a sign of failure in the spiritual life. In fact, it often appears precisely when God is doing something deeper than we can immediately feel or name.
Here are four simple, realistic things you can do this week to stay anchored when God feels silent—without forcing feelings or pretending everything is fine.
1. Stay faithful to the place of prayer, even if the experience feels dry
When prayer feels empty, the temptation is to change everything: new devotions, longer sessions, different methods. Sometimes that helps—but often the most fruitful response is quieter: stay where you are.
Choose a modest, consistent time and place for prayer this week and keep showing up, even if it feels flat. Five honest minutes is better than thirty distracted ones fueled by frustration.
Many spiritual writers remind us that prayer is first about presence, not productivity. In In Conversation With God, readers are constantly invited back to this simple truth: fidelity matters more than feelings. God receives your time even when you don’t receive much in return.
Think of prayer less as a performance and more as sitting beside Someone who loves you—even when neither of you is talking much.
2. Name the silence honestly (without dramatizing it)
There’s a difference between acknowledging dryness and spiraling into discouragement.
This week, try naming the silence directly in prayer:
“Lord, I don’t feel close to You right now.”
“I don’t know what You’re doing.”
“I’m still here, even though this is hard.”
That kind of honesty keeps prayer grounded. It prevents the silence from turning into resentment or avoidance.
Books like Heaven Can’t Wait by Fr. Edward G. Maristany remind us that God often works beneath the surface of ordinary days, shaping eternity through very unremarkable moments. Silence doesn’t mean nothing is happening—it often means the work is quieter than we expect.
3. Anchor yourself in one small, concrete act of faith
When emotions disappear, actions become anchors.
Pick one small practice you can commit to this week:
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reading the day’s Gospel once a day
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making a brief morning offering
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pausing before bed to thank God for one thing
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attending daily Mass once, even if distracted
These acts keep the relationship alive when feelings fade. They say, “I’m still choosing You.”
This principle shows up powerfully in Reclaimed by Fr. Carter Griffin, which emphasizes that freedom and spiritual growth are built through repeated, ordinary choices—not dramatic breakthroughs.
You don’t need to feel strong to act faithfully. You just need to keep choosing the next right thing.
4. Let silence simplify your expectations of God
Sometimes God feels silent because we’re listening for the wrong thing.
We expect insight, reassurance, or emotional warmth—and when those don’t come, we assume God isn’t present. But silence often strips prayer down to its core: being with God for His own sake.
This can be uncomfortable, especially in a culture that values constant stimulation. But it can also be deeply purifying.
Silence teaches us that God is not a tool for clarity or comfort. He is Someone to love, even when He doesn’t explain Himself.
If your prayer feels stripped-down right now, that may not be a loss—it may be an invitation to trust more deeply than before.
Staying anchored doesn’t require feeling close
If God feels silent, you haven’t done anything wrong. You’re likely standing at a place many saints have stood before.
This week, don’t aim to fix the silence. Aim to remain faithful inside it. Show up. Speak honestly. Act simply. Trust quietly.
God is closer than you think—even when He says very little.
