Day 5

The God Who Dwells in Hidden Places

Isaiah 45:15 – “Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.”

God is not absent. But He is often hidden— or at least seems that way.

We expect God to reveal Himself in obvious ways—through grand miracles, unmistakable signs, clear answers. But more often than not, He moves in the background, working in ways not readily apparent to us while we look with physical eyes and lack spiritual sight, shaping our lives in ways we don’t recognize until later.

This frustrates us. We want clarity, not mystery. We want a road map, not a journey of trust. But God doesn’t operate on our terms. He is present even when we don’t perceive Him. The question is not whether He is there, but whether we have the eyes to see.

The Story of William Wilberforce: God at Work in the Hidden Places

In the late 1700s, a young British politician named William Wilberforce was on the rise. He had wealth, influence, and ambition. But then, he became gripped by the Gospel. He wrestled deeply with what this meant for his life. Could he remain in politics and serve God? Or should he leave for full-time ministry?

He sought counsel from John Newton, the former slave trader turned pastor and author of Amazing Grace. Newton told him something that changed history, “God has raised you up for this very thing. Serve Him where you are.”

Wilberforce stayed. He dedicated his life to abolishing the British slave trade, a battle that would take over 40 years (like Moses!). He endured opposition, failure, and political sabotage (See also…. Moses!). There were decades where it seemed like nothing was happening. God felt silent. The cause seemed lost.

But Wilberforce refused to believe that unseen meant inactive. He kept going. And on July 26, 1833, just days before his death, the British Parliament finally passed the Slavery Abolition Act. The battle was won.

For much of his life, Wilberforce couldn’t see what God was doing. But that didn’t mean God wasn’t moving. The unseen work was happening beneath the surface, in the hearts of people, in the shifting of history, in places only God could reach.

What This Means for Us
• God’s silence is not His absence. Just because we don’t see Him doesn’t mean He’s not working.
• Faith means trusting the process. Wilberforce spent decades fighting before seeing results. Staying the course of faith matters even when we don’t see fruit right away.
• The unseen realm is more real than we realize. The battles we fight aren’t just physical, they’re spiritual.

Reflection:
1. Where in your life does it feel like God is silent?
2. What if the delay isn’t a “no” but a process you can’t yet see?
3. How does knowing God works in hidden places change the way you wait?

Do Something:
Write down one situation where God feels absent. Then remind yourself: “Just because I can’t see it doesn’t mean God isn’t working.” Pray, not for immediate answers, but for faith to trust the unseen.