Embrace Relationship – by Pilar Dunning
Isaiah 55:11 (ESV)
So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
I have learned to welcome silence in various ways throughout my life: the sudden stillness that occurs after my feisty two and a half year old goes to sleep at night; intentionally turning off talk radio during my morning commute to have just a few moments of quiet before commencing what is most assured to become a frenzied day.
I have encountered periods of silence and sound at various points throughout my relationship with the Lord. Often coupled with intense feelings of closeness to the Lord, the season of sound often brings with it clarity and confirmation; this does not often occur in my life. The seasons of silence seem to last for far longer – peppered with feelings of doubt, disconnected-ness, and isolation.
During a recent routine work day, I found myself driving between offices and opted for sound instead of silence in the form of my current favorite worship album by Hillsong United: Empires. A portion of the lyrics in one of the songs seemed louder than the rest: “for your word never returns void”. I was suddenly overcome with emotion during which can best be described as an epiphany of the Lord’s work in my life during a period when I felt very alone. A thread of decisions and vulnerabilities made seemingly abruptly and impulsively were suddenly linked with the profound understand that the Lord HAS been at work in my life. Though my feelings loneliness and isolation were most prevalent, they were not going to prevail. I entered into a season of sound.
This truth of the Lord found in Isaiah 55:11 was sung into my heart and soul once again: what the Lord says will not return to him in void – the truths and purposes of the Lord will be accomplished in my life. I will achieve that for which I have been sent — even when I do not feel it.
I’m learning to embrace my relationship with the Lord through these seasons of silence and sound.

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