What do you think?
Rate this book
God on Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer
What do you do when God is silent? Writing out of the pain of his wife's fight for life but also the wonder of watching the prayer movement they founded touch many lives, Pete Greig wrestles with the dark side of prayer and emerges with a hard-won message of hope, comfort, and profound biblical insight for all who suffer in silence.
Pete Greig, the acclaimed author of Red Moon Rising, has written his most intensely personal and honest account yet in God on Mute, a book born out of his wife Sammy's fight for her life and diagnosis of a debilitating brain tumor. Greig asks the timeless questions of what it means to suffer and to pray and to suffer through the silence because your prayers seem unanswered. This silence, Greig relates, is the hardest thing. The world collapses. Then all goes quiet. Words can't explain, don't fit, won't work. People avoid you and don't know what to say. So you turn to Him and you pray. You need Him more than ever before. But somehow . . . even God Himself seems on mute. In this heart-searching, honest, and deeply profound book, Pete Greig looks at the hard side of prayer, how to respond when there seem to be no answers, and how to cope with those who seek to interpret our experience for us. Here is a story of faith, hope, and love beyond all understanding.
Pete Greig, the acclaimed author of Red Moon Rising, has written his most intensely personal and honest account yet in God on Mute, a book born out of his wife Sammy's fight for her life and diagnosis of a debilitating brain tumor. Greig asks the timeless questions of what it means to suffer and to pray and to suffer through the silence because your prayers seem unanswered. This silence, Greig relates, is the hardest thing. The world collapses. Then all goes quiet. Words can't explain, don't fit, won't work. People avoid you and don't know what to say. So you turn to Him and you pray. You need Him more than ever before. But somehow . . . even God Himself seems on mute. In this heart-searching, honest, and deeply profound book, Pete Greig looks at the hard side of prayer, how to respond when there seem to be no answers, and how to cope with those who seek to interpret our experience for us. Here is a story of faith, hope, and love beyond all understanding.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
652 people are currently reading
3135 people want to read
About the author
Pete Greig
25 books389 followersPete Greig is the bewildered founder of the 24-7 Prayer movement which has spread into more than half the nations on earth.
He is also the Senior Pastor of Emmaus Rd, Guildford, Ambassador for the NGO Tearfund, and an Associate Tutor at St Mellitus Theological College, London.
His latest book, ‘How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People’ is a companion volume to The Prayer Course (www.prayercourse.org), which has been downloaded more than a million times. His previous title, ‘Dirty Glory’, was UK Christian Book of the year in 2017.
He preaches and teaches around the world and co-hosts two British festivals: Wildfires and the Big Church Day Out which attracts 30,000 people each year.
Pete’s passions include T.S. Eliot, Portsmouth F.C. and ‘Little Mo’, a 1964 Morris Minor convertible which he has lovingly restored by hand.
He is also the Senior Pastor of Emmaus Rd, Guildford, Ambassador for the NGO Tearfund, and an Associate Tutor at St Mellitus Theological College, London.
His latest book, ‘How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People’ is a companion volume to The Prayer Course (www.prayercourse.org), which has been downloaded more than a million times. His previous title, ‘Dirty Glory’, was UK Christian Book of the year in 2017.
He preaches and teaches around the world and co-hosts two British festivals: Wildfires and the Big Church Day Out which attracts 30,000 people each year.
Pete’s passions include T.S. Eliot, Portsmouth F.C. and ‘Little Mo’, a 1964 Morris Minor convertible which he has lovingly restored by hand.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 311 reviews
December 28, 2020
Highly recommended book. See below an overview of the three main sections.
"I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when he is silent."
Everyone has unanswered prayers, don't deny or hide this.
Maundy Thursday. How am I going to get through this?
Unanswered prayers happen to everyone and can be challenging. But never forget God is a God who loves us. God is also a Holy and powerful God able to do anything. In the pain do not forget that. God will ultimately make all things new.
Be honest and have naked trust before God. Lamenting is not only a way of expressing emotion but a fruit of a deepening spiritual life that is able to stand naked before God with no shame or pretence.
There is sometimes an anointing that can only come through the darker trust of unanswered prayer.
Still pray about small things: it is a privilege to be heard by God and natural to ask for help, communicate like any relationship. God sometimes can answer small things if they actually have large implications. Praying about small things opens our eyes to God's daily blessing, so we can live in greater gratitude. The Great Minimum of Life (G.K. Chesterton) beholds the wonder of everyday miracles, where the smallest pleasures are answers to prayers.
Good Friday. Why are my prayers not being answered?
Life is hard. Do not be surprised at suffering. The world is fallen, do not expect things to be perfect, adjust your expectations. Do not think: Why me? As if you're immune to human afflictions. Why not me? Christian hope is not to escape from suffering but a deeper relationship with the 'Man of sorrows familiar with suffering' who loves us and lives in us. Believe in God even more than we believe in miracles. We almost always pray for God to remove the negative, rather than to endure the negative with a proper attitude. Yet we should not actively seek suffering! And God hates suffering, one day there will be a new hope.
God's Will is the best. And we will not be able to understand it all. How tragic if our destiny followed our own logic and imagination. We shall come over the day to a heaven where we shall gratefully know that God's great refusals were sometimes the true answers to our truest prayers. It is always more important why we pray than how we pray or what we say. Miracles only happen when our prayers harmonise with God broad desires in our life, we are promised these prayers will always be answered!
"Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and existence of free will involves, and you will find that you have excluded life itself." Clive Staples Lewis.
Evil is real and there is a demonic world. This is clear in the Bible. Be aware but not over-occupied, pray to God. A balanced posture is to stand firm, resist him and attack when you need to with the word of God. God's will and God's world will eventually harmonise because Jesus has won God's war. Satan is cornered and fighting back. Don't get daring and take the fight to the enemy. Stand firm, resist him and he will flee.
Faith in God comes from getting to know his faithfulness. It is from God. A relational posture of trust to receive his Will in ways others can't handle. 10 keys to unlocking faith:
1. Prayer and worship. Focus on God and his goodness.
2. Fellowship. Be expectant and find inspiration in biographies
3. Fasting. Focuses prayer.
4. Start small.
5. Impulsiveness. Trust God immediately if prompted.
6. Adventure. Move into the uncertainty.
7. Bible study. Learn his promises. His Will is clear, pray with assurance.
8. Pilgrimage. Faith is easier in certain environments.
9. Journalling. Recording God's work in our lives.
10. Listening to God. Faith comes by hearing.
Why unanswered prayer:
God's world:
1. Common sense. Some prayers are just stupid.
2. Contradiction. Some prayers contradict others.
3. The laws of nature. Some prayers would be detrimental to the world and to the lives of others. Miracles by definition are not common because we live in a stable world.
4. Life is tough. Creation has not yet been fully liberated from bondage. Life is inevitably doing to be difficult at times.
5. Doctrine. Some prayers aren't answered the way we think because our expectations and understanding of God are wrong.
God's Will:
6. God is best. He has in store something even better for us.
7. Motive. Some prayers are selfishly motivated.
8. Relationship. God is a greater answer then what we are asking for and He wants to use our sense of need to draw us into a deeper relationship with Himself.
9. Free will. God will not force a person to do something they do not want to do.
10. Influence. Some prayers are working gradually and not as impersonal mechanisms of forced control.
God's War:
11. Satanic opposition. Some prayers are directly contested by 'spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms'. Perseverance, faith, courage and authoritative use of the word of God are vital in winning.
12. Faith. Some prayers we don't believe will get answered. However, faith grows as we get to know God.
13. Perseverance. Some prayers aren't answered yet. Whether they are being resisted by spiritual forces, stubborn people or God himself, don't give up praying.
14. Sin. Because we have areas of disobedience. Are there hidden sins to confess or actions to take to lend power to prayers? Live with integrity.
15. Justice. Because of our disregard for the needs of others in our communities and other nations.
Holy Saturday. Where is God when heaven is silent?
We can often live on this day. Jesus died for us yesterday and there will be miracles tomorrow, but where is God now?
God may seem silent but has promised to never leave us or forsake us. God withdraws and falls silent in order to bring us into a deeper relationship with him that is only possible when we move away from outward experiences. As long as it makes perfect sense to serve God and live for him, where everything goes our way, our faith can only mature so far. Only past this can we walk by faith not by sight. How fragile our faith is if we can't stay sad, confused and doubting for a time. Do not deny or rush through the painful seasons.
Life's great trials either make you bitter or better, never unchanged. Engage the silence and redeem your disappointments to be a creative force for God. How:
Looking back: Remembering God's word in the silence
By the distant light of past encounters and promises from the word of God, we can navigate the present darkness.
Looking around: encountering God in other people and places
Human beings are God's language. God speaks through us. Other people can help us bear emotional pain. Or a place, a book, a piece of music to remind you of God's goodness.
Speaking out: expressing God's word in the silence
Whatever else God may or may not be, he is present in the pain.
God is present in the midst of suffering because we are present in it.
Easter Sunday. When every prayer is answered
There is divine alchemy at work in all faithful suffering.
In acceptance lies peace.
Encountering Jesus is even more desirable than miracles and explanations. Of the 10 lepers healed only one came back to give thanks. The other 9 considered their answer to prayer more thrilling than the presence of the answerer.
In dealing with pain lament to God. Then after, stop and hear how he speaks your name.
In dealing with confusion allow Jesus to explain the scriptures to you by his holy spirit. Study and think. Discuss with friends.
In dealing with doubt tell Him. Honestly share your disappointments with others. You can pray like others: I believe, help my unbelief!
When we suffer Jesus comes with questions to refine and enhance our humanity.
The greatest miracle in all the world is the grace unleashed by a life of suffering. It was first released when Jesus endured death so that we might receive a living hope that never dies.
Revelations 5. Our unanswered prayers may be stored up by God waiting for greater fulfilment than we ever anticipated.
The future resurrection and afterlife is a mystery. We may have miraculous answers or may never find the answers we look for and the healing we pray for. Yet we acknowledge that "though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" 2 Corinthians 4:16-17
Highly recommended.
"I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when he is silent."
Everyone has unanswered prayers, don't deny or hide this.
Maundy Thursday. How am I going to get through this?
Unanswered prayers happen to everyone and can be challenging. But never forget God is a God who loves us. God is also a Holy and powerful God able to do anything. In the pain do not forget that. God will ultimately make all things new.
Be honest and have naked trust before God. Lamenting is not only a way of expressing emotion but a fruit of a deepening spiritual life that is able to stand naked before God with no shame or pretence.
There is sometimes an anointing that can only come through the darker trust of unanswered prayer.
Still pray about small things: it is a privilege to be heard by God and natural to ask for help, communicate like any relationship. God sometimes can answer small things if they actually have large implications. Praying about small things opens our eyes to God's daily blessing, so we can live in greater gratitude. The Great Minimum of Life (G.K. Chesterton) beholds the wonder of everyday miracles, where the smallest pleasures are answers to prayers.
Good Friday. Why are my prayers not being answered?
Life is hard. Do not be surprised at suffering. The world is fallen, do not expect things to be perfect, adjust your expectations. Do not think: Why me? As if you're immune to human afflictions. Why not me? Christian hope is not to escape from suffering but a deeper relationship with the 'Man of sorrows familiar with suffering' who loves us and lives in us. Believe in God even more than we believe in miracles. We almost always pray for God to remove the negative, rather than to endure the negative with a proper attitude. Yet we should not actively seek suffering! And God hates suffering, one day there will be a new hope.
God's Will is the best. And we will not be able to understand it all. How tragic if our destiny followed our own logic and imagination. We shall come over the day to a heaven where we shall gratefully know that God's great refusals were sometimes the true answers to our truest prayers. It is always more important why we pray than how we pray or what we say. Miracles only happen when our prayers harmonise with God broad desires in our life, we are promised these prayers will always be answered!
"Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and existence of free will involves, and you will find that you have excluded life itself." Clive Staples Lewis.
Evil is real and there is a demonic world. This is clear in the Bible. Be aware but not over-occupied, pray to God. A balanced posture is to stand firm, resist him and attack when you need to with the word of God. God's will and God's world will eventually harmonise because Jesus has won God's war. Satan is cornered and fighting back. Don't get daring and take the fight to the enemy. Stand firm, resist him and he will flee.
Faith in God comes from getting to know his faithfulness. It is from God. A relational posture of trust to receive his Will in ways others can't handle. 10 keys to unlocking faith:
1. Prayer and worship. Focus on God and his goodness.
2. Fellowship. Be expectant and find inspiration in biographies
3. Fasting. Focuses prayer.
4. Start small.
5. Impulsiveness. Trust God immediately if prompted.
6. Adventure. Move into the uncertainty.
7. Bible study. Learn his promises. His Will is clear, pray with assurance.
8. Pilgrimage. Faith is easier in certain environments.
9. Journalling. Recording God's work in our lives.
10. Listening to God. Faith comes by hearing.
Why unanswered prayer:
God's world:
1. Common sense. Some prayers are just stupid.
2. Contradiction. Some prayers contradict others.
3. The laws of nature. Some prayers would be detrimental to the world and to the lives of others. Miracles by definition are not common because we live in a stable world.
4. Life is tough. Creation has not yet been fully liberated from bondage. Life is inevitably doing to be difficult at times.
5. Doctrine. Some prayers aren't answered the way we think because our expectations and understanding of God are wrong.
God's Will:
6. God is best. He has in store something even better for us.
7. Motive. Some prayers are selfishly motivated.
8. Relationship. God is a greater answer then what we are asking for and He wants to use our sense of need to draw us into a deeper relationship with Himself.
9. Free will. God will not force a person to do something they do not want to do.
10. Influence. Some prayers are working gradually and not as impersonal mechanisms of forced control.
God's War:
11. Satanic opposition. Some prayers are directly contested by 'spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms'. Perseverance, faith, courage and authoritative use of the word of God are vital in winning.
12. Faith. Some prayers we don't believe will get answered. However, faith grows as we get to know God.
13. Perseverance. Some prayers aren't answered yet. Whether they are being resisted by spiritual forces, stubborn people or God himself, don't give up praying.
14. Sin. Because we have areas of disobedience. Are there hidden sins to confess or actions to take to lend power to prayers? Live with integrity.
15. Justice. Because of our disregard for the needs of others in our communities and other nations.
Holy Saturday. Where is God when heaven is silent?
We can often live on this day. Jesus died for us yesterday and there will be miracles tomorrow, but where is God now?
God may seem silent but has promised to never leave us or forsake us. God withdraws and falls silent in order to bring us into a deeper relationship with him that is only possible when we move away from outward experiences. As long as it makes perfect sense to serve God and live for him, where everything goes our way, our faith can only mature so far. Only past this can we walk by faith not by sight. How fragile our faith is if we can't stay sad, confused and doubting for a time. Do not deny or rush through the painful seasons.
Life's great trials either make you bitter or better, never unchanged. Engage the silence and redeem your disappointments to be a creative force for God. How:
Looking back: Remembering God's word in the silence
By the distant light of past encounters and promises from the word of God, we can navigate the present darkness.
Looking around: encountering God in other people and places
Human beings are God's language. God speaks through us. Other people can help us bear emotional pain. Or a place, a book, a piece of music to remind you of God's goodness.
Speaking out: expressing God's word in the silence
Whatever else God may or may not be, he is present in the pain.
God is present in the midst of suffering because we are present in it.
Easter Sunday. When every prayer is answered
There is divine alchemy at work in all faithful suffering.
In acceptance lies peace.
Encountering Jesus is even more desirable than miracles and explanations. Of the 10 lepers healed only one came back to give thanks. The other 9 considered their answer to prayer more thrilling than the presence of the answerer.
In dealing with pain lament to God. Then after, stop and hear how he speaks your name.
In dealing with confusion allow Jesus to explain the scriptures to you by his holy spirit. Study and think. Discuss with friends.
In dealing with doubt tell Him. Honestly share your disappointments with others. You can pray like others: I believe, help my unbelief!
When we suffer Jesus comes with questions to refine and enhance our humanity.
The greatest miracle in all the world is the grace unleashed by a life of suffering. It was first released when Jesus endured death so that we might receive a living hope that never dies.
Revelations 5. Our unanswered prayers may be stored up by God waiting for greater fulfilment than we ever anticipated.
The future resurrection and afterlife is a mystery. We may have miraculous answers or may never find the answers we look for and the healing we pray for. Yet we acknowledge that "though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" 2 Corinthians 4:16-17
Highly recommended.
February 5, 2023
Jesus most definitely did not become an atheist on the cross. Just saying.
The rest was really good and helpful!!
The rest was really good and helpful!!
April 26, 2019
A great book. The author is authentic and honest in sharing experiences of unanswered prayer in his own and others lives, which has resulted in a greater faith in God and closeness to Him. It is these stories that make it an engaging and easy read, whilst not skimping on theology and biblical references.
A large portion of the book is a comprehensive list of reasons as to why God may not be answering your prayers. Whilst this is extremely helpful and practical, there may have been some repetition in there. A couple of small personal differences in opinion to the author sprang up.For example, in one part he claims that miracles are rare and may not be particularly helpful in our time. I understand the point he is trying to make but personally disagree.
I appreciated how the author was thorough in his consideration of why prayers may not be answered, even not being afraid to discuss the supernatural! He wrapped up the book in a beautiful final chapter that highlights the importance of our hope in eternity with God and the life to come. Overall, a very helpful, practical, deeply thought and enjoyable book.
A large portion of the book is a comprehensive list of reasons as to why God may not be answering your prayers. Whilst this is extremely helpful and practical, there may have been some repetition in there. A couple of small personal differences in opinion to the author sprang up.For example, in one part he claims that miracles are rare and may not be particularly helpful in our time. I understand the point he is trying to make but personally disagree.
I appreciated how the author was thorough in his consideration of why prayers may not be answered, even not being afraid to discuss the supernatural! He wrapped up the book in a beautiful final chapter that highlights the importance of our hope in eternity with God and the life to come. Overall, a very helpful, practical, deeply thought and enjoyable book.
January 9, 2025
Will be completely honest and say that the last couple months of life have been rough. This book was recommended to me by someone and it didn’t take away my pain, but it honestly helped me to gain some perspective and taught me so so much.
One of the biggest things I learned was that wrestling with God and questioning the why to unanswered prayers does not make your faith weak. It makes it real!!!!! Life is not all rainbows and butterflies and Jesus understood that, even more than we ever will. I will be rereading eventually, the Lord (literally) knows I usually need lots of reminders. 😂
“Until these things are removed from our lives and we are left to stand alone without any reason for continuing except steadfast loyalty, we cannot truly mature from an us-centered relationship with God to a truly Christ-centered one. It isn’t until the facts that once reinforced our beliefs are removed from our lives that we can truly ‘live by faith, not by sight.’ (2 Cor 5:7)”
“There has never been a greater risk than the one God took in choosing to create humanity with this ability to love and be loved.” ❤️
One of the biggest things I learned was that wrestling with God and questioning the why to unanswered prayers does not make your faith weak. It makes it real!!!!! Life is not all rainbows and butterflies and Jesus understood that, even more than we ever will. I will be rereading eventually, the Lord (literally) knows I usually need lots of reminders. 😂
“Until these things are removed from our lives and we are left to stand alone without any reason for continuing except steadfast loyalty, we cannot truly mature from an us-centered relationship with God to a truly Christ-centered one. It isn’t until the facts that once reinforced our beliefs are removed from our lives that we can truly ‘live by faith, not by sight.’ (2 Cor 5:7)”
“There has never been a greater risk than the one God took in choosing to create humanity with this ability to love and be loved.” ❤️
Read
August 18, 2023Čítať som začal v januári a ako postupoval text i čas, čoraz viac som prijímal Griegovu metodiku, ktorá ma sprvoti hrozne štvala: že na otázky viery odpovedá len odpoveďami viery. A tak to, čo mi na začiatku prišlo ako ukážková kognitívna dizonancia, sa na konci zdalo úplne prirodzené, logické, možno až nevyhnutné. Zmene pohľadu mimoriadne napomohol fakt, že Grieg sa nebojí porušiť zásadu všetkých šarlatánskych kazateľov, či lídrov siekt a priznať, že nevie. Alebo to, že utrpenie nemusí mať zmysel. Keď Boh mlčí tak nie je zborníkom zbožných teologických odpovedí, písaných z "I know better" perspektívy. Je láskavým a súcitným sprievodcom utrpením a obdobím nevypočutých modlitieb, navyše napísaný chytľavým štýlom modernej “self-help” literatúry - mixom osobných príbehov, odkazov na odborné či inak zásadné texty a občasnou popkultúrnou metaforou. Celé to korunuje členenie textu do veľmi peknej veľkonočnej štruktúry; vidno, že autor si svoje odpremýšľal, odmodlil či odtrpel. Cenné sú všetky tri.
February 14, 2024
Please read this if God isn’t doing what you want Him to do. Pete feels like a friend beside me in it, but a little ahead in his understanding so he can explain how He’s still God and I can still trust him to be so good even when things feel hopeless or distant.
March 3, 2021
This is the fourth book written by Pete Greig that I have read. There is hardly a sentence that I haven't highlighted!
This man is both profound and incredibly down-to-earth. He is very easy to read and understand, but everything he says is worthwhile. Even more, it is worth ingesting, pondering, and considering deeply.
This book touches the sore spot of unanswered prayer. Rather than giving pat answers, Pete not only "goes there," he goes ALL the way "there!" He speaks to the pain, the doubt, the confusion, the unbelief, the anger... everything that rises up when prayers are not answered, when babies die, when spouses cheat etc. And he doesn't blame the person praying (Christians are so prone to blaming the victim)! Pete recognizes that oftentimes, God simply doesn't respond, for apparently no good reason!!
But he doesn't leave the reader there. The book is centered around the days of Christ's Passion, and so begins at Maundy Thursday, and goes through the anguish of Good Friday, and the silence of Holy Saturday...and the beauty of Easter Sunday. By using this format, every aspect of the painful struggles of unanswered prayer is explored. He leaves no stone unturned.
By the time I finished this book, I was filled with joy and hope, knowing that some of my prayers may never get answered this side of heaven. But I have a much better grasp of how to live with that in light of eternity.
Thanks Pete.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
This man is both profound and incredibly down-to-earth. He is very easy to read and understand, but everything he says is worthwhile. Even more, it is worth ingesting, pondering, and considering deeply.
This book touches the sore spot of unanswered prayer. Rather than giving pat answers, Pete not only "goes there," he goes ALL the way "there!" He speaks to the pain, the doubt, the confusion, the unbelief, the anger... everything that rises up when prayers are not answered, when babies die, when spouses cheat etc. And he doesn't blame the person praying (Christians are so prone to blaming the victim)! Pete recognizes that oftentimes, God simply doesn't respond, for apparently no good reason!!
But he doesn't leave the reader there. The book is centered around the days of Christ's Passion, and so begins at Maundy Thursday, and goes through the anguish of Good Friday, and the silence of Holy Saturday...and the beauty of Easter Sunday. By using this format, every aspect of the painful struggles of unanswered prayer is explored. He leaves no stone unturned.
By the time I finished this book, I was filled with joy and hope, knowing that some of my prayers may never get answered this side of heaven. But I have a much better grasp of how to live with that in light of eternity.
Thanks Pete.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
July 22, 2019
Its one of the best books on prayer i have ever read highly recomend this .especially in unanswered prayers. 💜💜
May 26, 2025
Am înțeles tot ce a scris omul ăsta ca de la un suflet zdrobit la altul. Boala cronică is no joke și este ceva cu care lupți zilnic, este o durere pe care o experimentezi zilnic și o pierdere constantă a momentelor din zile, săptămâni, luni, ani. Modul în care a fost explorată problema durerii, mi-a adus aline în propriile rugăciuni fără răspuns. Am simțit cu multe întrebări pe care și Pete le-a avut, am plâns alături de frustrarea lui, știind cât de nesuferită poate să fie neputința în sănătate.
Chiar și după ce am citit cartea asta, răspunsuri n-am găsit cum de altfel nici nu mă așteptam să găsesc.
Însă am dat peste un paragraf care mi-a dat lumea peste cap
“Într-o zi, Isus a vindecat 10 bărbați de lepră […] numai unul dintre aceștia s-a întors să îi mulțumească […] relatarea asta subliniază un aspect important legat de priorități: toți cei zece au fost vindecați în egală măsură, dar numai unul s-a închinat cu adevărat. Ceilalți nouă au considerat răspunsul la rugăciunile lor mai important decât prezența Celui ce a dat răspunsul. Au primit vindecare cu bucurie, dar au rata cel mai mare miracol dintre toate: prezența lui Dumnezeu! Altă dată Isus a prezis că mulți vor experimenta miracole dar nu vor deveni prieteni ai Lui (Matei 7:22-23)”
Vreau eu vindecarea mai mult decât prezența lui Dumnezeu? Dacă nu primesc vindecare, mai are Dumnezeu vreo importanță pentru mine? Se limitează pasiunea și interesul meu doar la ce și cât de multe Îmi poate oferi?
Chiar și după ce am citit cartea asta, răspunsuri n-am găsit cum de altfel nici nu mă așteptam să găsesc.
Însă am dat peste un paragraf care mi-a dat lumea peste cap
“Într-o zi, Isus a vindecat 10 bărbați de lepră […] numai unul dintre aceștia s-a întors să îi mulțumească […] relatarea asta subliniază un aspect important legat de priorități: toți cei zece au fost vindecați în egală măsură, dar numai unul s-a închinat cu adevărat. Ceilalți nouă au considerat răspunsul la rugăciunile lor mai important decât prezența Celui ce a dat răspunsul. Au primit vindecare cu bucurie, dar au rata cel mai mare miracol dintre toate: prezența lui Dumnezeu! Altă dată Isus a prezis că mulți vor experimenta miracole dar nu vor deveni prieteni ai Lui (Matei 7:22-23)”
Vreau eu vindecarea mai mult decât prezența lui Dumnezeu? Dacă nu primesc vindecare, mai are Dumnezeu vreo importanță pentru mine? Se limitează pasiunea și interesul meu doar la ce și cât de multe Îmi poate oferi?
March 23, 2025
Using Biblical examples, and contemporary stories from his own life, and from people he knows, Pete Grieg wrestles with the difficulty of unanswered prayer by walking through Easter weekend. Overall it was a very encouraging book though he occasionally stumbles off the theological path.
June 2, 2024
What an excellent, insightful book that challenged my thinking in many ways! I will definitely be getting a hard copy of this!
Too many people ask God why, and quit because they don’t understand God or He doesn’t meet their human expectations. We are missing the point of a relationship with God. If I understood everything or it all worked out like I wanted every time then I would be “god”, not God!
This would be an excellent book for those who have endured hard circumstances (which is pretty much everyone) or those who find themselves continually frustrated at unanswered prayer.
Some of my favorite quotes:
📖 Prayer is meant to be relational not transactional.
📖 The power of prayer is really that of sacrifice.
📖 The end is in sight. Those who endure to the end shall be victorious even if in the mean time they become victims.
📖 Our unanswered prayers may be our real ministry of our lives. They are being stored up to be answered on that final day.
📖 Do the hard work. Do the heart work. Do it like it’s your job.
📖 Sometimes the things that hurt us the most fit so well in our hands that we aren’t sure we should release them. That’s a beautiful trick, though: It never really fit in our hands; we’ve just held on to it for so long we aren’t sure what we’d be without it.
I don’t remember anything specific I disagreed with in the book, but the author would differ on some doctrinal issues.
This is very well worth your time! ❤️
Listen free on Hoopla!
Too many people ask God why, and quit because they don’t understand God or He doesn’t meet their human expectations. We are missing the point of a relationship with God. If I understood everything or it all worked out like I wanted every time then I would be “god”, not God!
This would be an excellent book for those who have endured hard circumstances (which is pretty much everyone) or those who find themselves continually frustrated at unanswered prayer.
Some of my favorite quotes:
📖 Prayer is meant to be relational not transactional.
📖 The power of prayer is really that of sacrifice.
📖 The end is in sight. Those who endure to the end shall be victorious even if in the mean time they become victims.
📖 Our unanswered prayers may be our real ministry of our lives. They are being stored up to be answered on that final day.
📖 Do the hard work. Do the heart work. Do it like it’s your job.
📖 Sometimes the things that hurt us the most fit so well in our hands that we aren’t sure we should release them. That’s a beautiful trick, though: It never really fit in our hands; we’ve just held on to it for so long we aren’t sure what we’d be without it.
I don’t remember anything specific I disagreed with in the book, but the author would differ on some doctrinal issues.
This is very well worth your time! ❤️
Listen free on Hoopla!
January 28, 2023
A wonderful book that made me realize unanswered prayers can be a miracle and God is ALWAYS wanting the best outcome. MUST READ.
August 27, 2024
I feel like it’s really hard to write a book on grief, loss, and the silence of God, but Greig uses his own experiences of suffering in a really refreshing way to write in a way that’s both relatable and hopeful. The book strikes the right balance between theology and lived experience to give a person whose suffering from unanswered prayers (cough cough me) a tempered hope. I’ve found other books on this subject to be trite and detached from experiences of pain–this book holds pain well as well as taking Jesus’s promises seriously. I was especially blown away by the last chapter, “Beyond Miracles”, which was eschatological but soaked with so much practical hope. Looking forward to reading more of Grieg’s work and engaging with the 24/7 prayer ministry.
January 6, 2025
Read this after a year of walking with a few different friends through some unthinkable things, and longing to know how to bring hope into such situations. Pete did an incredible job, he was real and honest about the heartbreak and the mystery while also wrestling with hard questions and providing hope in the midst of it. Pete brings his own story into this book, and speaks from his own experience of unanswered prayers, which I am so thankful for. Definitely the best book I’ve read on suffering or unanswered prayers so far, 10/10 recommend to anyone wrestling or walking with others in suffering
November 23, 2025
Could not say enough good things about this book. I appreciate the authors honesty in sharing his own story and questions. Why doesn’t God answer the deep cries of our heart? Why does God feel silent? If God can heal, fix, or solve … then why doesn’t he? I listened to the audio, which is read by the author, and is excellent. I also quickly realized I needed a physical copy to refer back to, so got one, which I followed along in and made notes.
August 12, 2024
Really enjoyed this!! Pete Greig is the founder of 24/7 Prayer. As a organization they are charismatic. So I was interested in how serious he would take the questions on unanswered prayer.
He did a great job at not downplaying the experience of feeling unheard by God. I would recommend this book for anyone who is emotionally struggling with answered prayer. Or anyone who is a new charismatic. You will be hit with an authentic realization on unanswered prayer. By the “prayer guy” himself.
He did a great job at not downplaying the experience of feeling unheard by God. I would recommend this book for anyone who is emotionally struggling with answered prayer. Or anyone who is a new charismatic. You will be hit with an authentic realization on unanswered prayer. By the “prayer guy” himself.
February 5, 2025
Must read. Persönlich aber auch theologisch. Mitfühlend und Hoffnung machend. Hat mir wirklich eine neue Perspektive auf Gebet und Leben gegeben.
October 3, 2025
This book was a cup of tea for the soul. Challenging but full of warmth and encouragement amid heavy seasons
February 21, 2024
I have no words for how powerful this book is - highly highly recommend!
April 6, 2024
A really encouraging book that met me right where I was at - but didn’t let me stay there. Pete Greig has such a poetic and personal way of writing that is a joy to read, even when the content isn’t easy.
May 9, 2024
A very emotional read but so worth it. This book gave a lot of good perspective and insight into prayer while ultimately pointing back to the person of Christ. I really enjoyed this and learned a lot.
December 9, 2022
If I could give this more than 5 stars I would. It brought me back from a very dark place and I will forever be grateful. ❤️
September 28, 2019
My daughter recommended this book to me and I am so glad she did! This is the best book/study I have read on prayer. Pete Greig's experience with suffering and his sound theology opened my mind and heart to new ways of handling suffering, trials and , especially, unanswered prayers in the midst of those situations.
Additionally, for me as a 60 year old woman who has lost many close loved ones and who is realizing that I am in my last 1/4 - 1/3 of life on earth, Chapter 13 in which he deals with facing death was especially enlightening and helpful.
From Chapter 13:
Speaking of a pastor friend he looked to for help in handling the potential reality of death to his wife he says:
"It became clear that although he had a spectacular vision for the next 30 or so years of life on Earth, he had no vision whatsoever for eternity. I suspect that although he was older than me, he had simply not yet been forced to stare for himself into the abyss, wondering, What's next?
The contemporary Western church at large seems to me to have little belief in the afterlife. We are so temporal and comfortable. We can perpetuate the delusions for own immortality for longer than any previous generation, but ultimately, unless our death comes instantaneously in early life, we must think about such things. We will be the poorer if we do not. And so I began a solemn, lifelong pilgrimage that some might deem a little morose. My aim? To find a thrilling vision for the eternity we will spend with Jesus.”
There were so many things I loved about this book. Suffice it to say that I highly recommend this book to any Christian who is interested in growing in their walk with God. This book will go on my “life changing”, “To be Read once a year shelf.”
Additionally, for me as a 60 year old woman who has lost many close loved ones and who is realizing that I am in my last 1/4 - 1/3 of life on earth, Chapter 13 in which he deals with facing death was especially enlightening and helpful.
From Chapter 13:
Speaking of a pastor friend he looked to for help in handling the potential reality of death to his wife he says:
"It became clear that although he had a spectacular vision for the next 30 or so years of life on Earth, he had no vision whatsoever for eternity. I suspect that although he was older than me, he had simply not yet been forced to stare for himself into the abyss, wondering, What's next?
The contemporary Western church at large seems to me to have little belief in the afterlife. We are so temporal and comfortable. We can perpetuate the delusions for own immortality for longer than any previous generation, but ultimately, unless our death comes instantaneously in early life, we must think about such things. We will be the poorer if we do not. And so I began a solemn, lifelong pilgrimage that some might deem a little morose. My aim? To find a thrilling vision for the eternity we will spend with Jesus.”
There were so many things I loved about this book. Suffice it to say that I highly recommend this book to any Christian who is interested in growing in their walk with God. This book will go on my “life changing”, “To be Read once a year shelf.”
June 19, 2020
Pete Greig is one of my most favorite faith leaders. All of his books have been a help and a blessing to me. This one is all the more so. Pete has such a gift for praying simply, yet eloquently and of leading others to a deeper understanding of what prayer does and doesn’t do. Moreover, he has brought the creative realm into play and deepened my concept and practice of ways to pray. This is simply a wonderful must have book for all those serious about developing a more mature and effective and impactful prayer life.
January 7, 2024
All I can say is wow. Everyone who professes Christ should read this book. I have never read something about prayer that touches the most painful parts of unanswered prayer but also something so comforting. This book has changed me, and the way I approach the throne of glory. Pete Greig, thank you for the gift of your words. This will be among my list of favorite books, and I will return to it often.
March 6, 2016
If you're going through a tough time in life (as we all do at some point so don't take the good times for granted), this book is just such a comfort.
December 20, 2020
“God on Mute” is a book about how to cope when your prayers do not seem to get answered.
A different kind of book
Some may ask, "Why do you even want to read such a book?" Should we not focus on encouraging believers that God does indeed answer prayer? What we need is testimonies of wonderful interventions of God in response to simple prayers of faith… Of course, Pete Greig can answer (and he does) that he has already written such books. If you have not already read "Red Moon Rising" or "Dirty Glory", then I recommend that you stop reading this review and get hold of those books and read them now! But "God on Mute" is a different kind of book, one that I think is just as much needed as those wonderful encouragements to our faith in a glorious, miracle-working God. It is a book that Greig is particularly well-placed to write. Very few have seen the evidence of miraculous answers to prayer on the scale that Greig has witnessed through his work with 24/7 Prayer International. Yet he shares with courageous honesty his profound disappointment over unanswered prayer for his wife Sammy. An operation to remove a large brain tumour was successful and the hand of God was clearly evident in the remarkable guiding of the surgeon's hands (read the book to find out more!). But it left Sammy with recurring epileptic seizures of frightening intensity. Only on occasion did God intervene to relieve these terrifying attacks. In the main, Pete's agonized imploring seemed to go unheeded. Quite apart from the agony of watching his wife suffer, he was often left to cope with managing life and their small children on his own.
No pat answers
If we are honest, we all struggle with prayers that do not seem to get answered. In this remarkable book, Greig sets out to provide answers that are anchored both in Scripture and in real life experience. He avoids clichés and easy answers. Those pat responses fail to address the issues and just lead to guilt and loss of hope because they lead people to think that the problem must be in them, that God does not answer because of their lack of faith or because of some sin in them. (Perhaps you, like me, have seen the damage these superficial answers can do.)
A quirky, down to earth style that draws you in
This book is written in a quirky, down to earth style that makes you feel that Greig lives like you and me in the real world. His honesty about his own shortcomings helps draw us in and make us feel that he is describing a reality that we can relate to. He is a gifted writer and has a brilliant feel for the quirky image or metaphor that will sometimes make you smile but which nevertheless makes things clear. I laughed out loud at
Despite the seriousness of the subject matter, Greig’s self-deprecating and matter of fact approach keeps the tone light. He confesses,
“There were times…when Sammy’s diagnosis merely stirred up the murkiest shallows of my soul, bringing to the surface my inner cravings for sin, sympathy…” but then, with the determined refusal to wallow that marks the whole book, he rounds off the sentence with “…and back-to-back Big Macs.”
Another strength of the writing is that it is peppered with stories, some delightful, some funny, some deeply poignant, but all full of hope and faith, pointing to a deeper reality that goes beyond our present difficulties and a God who will ultimately never disappoint.
Going deeper and growing stronger
Greig faces the reality of the suffering that is endured when desperate prayers seem to go unanswered, but his essential message is nevertheless one of hope and confidence in God. He calls us to a deeper understanding of a God of love who always works for the best of those who love him, and acceptance that God is at work in the deepest trials. He uses them to create within those who endure them a holy sweetness and a depth of unshakeable faith that just cannot be produced any other way. One of many lovely stories is of an elderly friend who has suffered for 72 years with a debilitating illness. She testifies that her need has drawn her ever closer to the Lord, discovering his strength in her weakness, his presence in her pain, so much so that she can say that she feels almost sorry for those who sail through life without trouble but never discover the greatest gift of God’s strength. Wow!
The framework of the book
The structure of the book is provided by the days of Easter, a section each being allocated to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. Through this framework, Greig tackles various aspects of unanswered prayer, which climaxes in the silence of God on Holy Saturday. On that day, all the prayers have been prayed, the humiliation, the physical pain and the pain of separation have all been endured, yet there seems no hope, and God is still silent. But then comes Easter Sunday, and there is again glorious hope and the vindication of faith. This is the message of the book: Suffering and the pain of a seemingly distant God are real and should not be trivialised or explained away, but the God of love and hope is at work through it all, and his triumph will be ours if we endure.
15 reasons for unanswered prayer
I very much enjoyed the whole book, but I think I found most helpful the central section in chapters 8-10, in which Greig proposes 15 reasons for unanswered prayer. Some of you will baulk at his take on God’s will and God’s determination to respect the free will of humanity. Personally, I found it helpful, but I suspect it will be a step too far for some my Reformed friends. I would implore them not to throw out the gems of solid, lived-out, Scripture-based wisdom contained in this book because of that.
A flaw – no human author is perfect!
I too found things to disagree with, and I will now come to those. Greig refers to the number of books he consulted in preparing this book. He writes (using one of those quirky images) that his desk resembled the skyline of Manhattan because it was so piled high with books! And indeed, the breadth of his reading is pretty impressive. But I think that in his desire to draw on a range of different sources, he sometimes goes too far. It was, in my view, a serious mistake to cite Rudolf Bultmann in the section on Holy Saturday. This liberal German theologian denied the virgin birth, the resurrection and even the deity of Jesus. Greig follows this up with a reference to Albert Camus, the French atheistic philosopher who taught that life is meaningless. He uses these references to support the idea that Christ on the cross suffered a “total collapse of faith and meaning”. Greig’s intention, I think, is to provide encouragement for us in periods of doubt that even Jesus experienced the same; but this unorthodox view goes much too far and is wrongheaded. Neither is it supported by Scripture, which tells us that Christ never sinned (Heb 4:15). The cry of dereliction (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) may be a cry of anguish, but it clearly does not doubt the existence of God since it addresses him. Moreover, it is a quote from the beginning of psalm 22, which goes on to a triumphant declaration of praise and confidence in God.
Conclusion: Why you should read this book!
Overall, however, I still strongly recommend this book. It needs to be read with care and discernment, but surely this should be our approach to anything written by a flawed human being. It seeks to face issues squarely and provide genuine answers without ducking the fact that sometimes there is no clear, immediate answer. Instead, Greig points us to the God who identified with us in suffering and who will not fail to bring us through having been made more like him. That Greig achieves this in his quirky, down to earth self-deprecating style that is almost light-hearted and yet deals with the very deepest issues is a remarkable achievement.
A different kind of book
Some may ask, "Why do you even want to read such a book?" Should we not focus on encouraging believers that God does indeed answer prayer? What we need is testimonies of wonderful interventions of God in response to simple prayers of faith… Of course, Pete Greig can answer (and he does) that he has already written such books. If you have not already read "Red Moon Rising" or "Dirty Glory", then I recommend that you stop reading this review and get hold of those books and read them now! But "God on Mute" is a different kind of book, one that I think is just as much needed as those wonderful encouragements to our faith in a glorious, miracle-working God. It is a book that Greig is particularly well-placed to write. Very few have seen the evidence of miraculous answers to prayer on the scale that Greig has witnessed through his work with 24/7 Prayer International. Yet he shares with courageous honesty his profound disappointment over unanswered prayer for his wife Sammy. An operation to remove a large brain tumour was successful and the hand of God was clearly evident in the remarkable guiding of the surgeon's hands (read the book to find out more!). But it left Sammy with recurring epileptic seizures of frightening intensity. Only on occasion did God intervene to relieve these terrifying attacks. In the main, Pete's agonized imploring seemed to go unheeded. Quite apart from the agony of watching his wife suffer, he was often left to cope with managing life and their small children on his own.
No pat answers
If we are honest, we all struggle with prayers that do not seem to get answered. In this remarkable book, Greig sets out to provide answers that are anchored both in Scripture and in real life experience. He avoids clichés and easy answers. Those pat responses fail to address the issues and just lead to guilt and loss of hope because they lead people to think that the problem must be in them, that God does not answer because of their lack of faith or because of some sin in them. (Perhaps you, like me, have seen the damage these superficial answers can do.)
A quirky, down to earth style that draws you in
This book is written in a quirky, down to earth style that makes you feel that Greig lives like you and me in the real world. His honesty about his own shortcomings helps draw us in and make us feel that he is describing a reality that we can relate to. He is a gifted writer and has a brilliant feel for the quirky image or metaphor that will sometimes make you smile but which nevertheless makes things clear. I laughed out loud at
…God is on mute and the zapper’s lost down the back of some cosmic sofa.
Despite the seriousness of the subject matter, Greig’s self-deprecating and matter of fact approach keeps the tone light. He confesses,
“There were times…when Sammy’s diagnosis merely stirred up the murkiest shallows of my soul, bringing to the surface my inner cravings for sin, sympathy…” but then, with the determined refusal to wallow that marks the whole book, he rounds off the sentence with “…and back-to-back Big Macs.”
Another strength of the writing is that it is peppered with stories, some delightful, some funny, some deeply poignant, but all full of hope and faith, pointing to a deeper reality that goes beyond our present difficulties and a God who will ultimately never disappoint.
Going deeper and growing stronger
Greig faces the reality of the suffering that is endured when desperate prayers seem to go unanswered, but his essential message is nevertheless one of hope and confidence in God. He calls us to a deeper understanding of a God of love who always works for the best of those who love him, and acceptance that God is at work in the deepest trials. He uses them to create within those who endure them a holy sweetness and a depth of unshakeable faith that just cannot be produced any other way. One of many lovely stories is of an elderly friend who has suffered for 72 years with a debilitating illness. She testifies that her need has drawn her ever closer to the Lord, discovering his strength in her weakness, his presence in her pain, so much so that she can say that she feels almost sorry for those who sail through life without trouble but never discover the greatest gift of God’s strength. Wow!
The framework of the book
The structure of the book is provided by the days of Easter, a section each being allocated to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. Through this framework, Greig tackles various aspects of unanswered prayer, which climaxes in the silence of God on Holy Saturday. On that day, all the prayers have been prayed, the humiliation, the physical pain and the pain of separation have all been endured, yet there seems no hope, and God is still silent. But then comes Easter Sunday, and there is again glorious hope and the vindication of faith. This is the message of the book: Suffering and the pain of a seemingly distant God are real and should not be trivialised or explained away, but the God of love and hope is at work through it all, and his triumph will be ours if we endure.
15 reasons for unanswered prayer
I very much enjoyed the whole book, but I think I found most helpful the central section in chapters 8-10, in which Greig proposes 15 reasons for unanswered prayer. Some of you will baulk at his take on God’s will and God’s determination to respect the free will of humanity. Personally, I found it helpful, but I suspect it will be a step too far for some my Reformed friends. I would implore them not to throw out the gems of solid, lived-out, Scripture-based wisdom contained in this book because of that.
A flaw – no human author is perfect!
I too found things to disagree with, and I will now come to those. Greig refers to the number of books he consulted in preparing this book. He writes (using one of those quirky images) that his desk resembled the skyline of Manhattan because it was so piled high with books! And indeed, the breadth of his reading is pretty impressive. But I think that in his desire to draw on a range of different sources, he sometimes goes too far. It was, in my view, a serious mistake to cite Rudolf Bultmann in the section on Holy Saturday. This liberal German theologian denied the virgin birth, the resurrection and even the deity of Jesus. Greig follows this up with a reference to Albert Camus, the French atheistic philosopher who taught that life is meaningless. He uses these references to support the idea that Christ on the cross suffered a “total collapse of faith and meaning”. Greig’s intention, I think, is to provide encouragement for us in periods of doubt that even Jesus experienced the same; but this unorthodox view goes much too far and is wrongheaded. Neither is it supported by Scripture, which tells us that Christ never sinned (Heb 4:15). The cry of dereliction (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) may be a cry of anguish, but it clearly does not doubt the existence of God since it addresses him. Moreover, it is a quote from the beginning of psalm 22, which goes on to a triumphant declaration of praise and confidence in God.
Conclusion: Why you should read this book!
Overall, however, I still strongly recommend this book. It needs to be read with care and discernment, but surely this should be our approach to anything written by a flawed human being. It seeks to face issues squarely and provide genuine answers without ducking the fact that sometimes there is no clear, immediate answer. Instead, Greig points us to the God who identified with us in suffering and who will not fail to bring us through having been made more like him. That Greig achieves this in his quirky, down to earth self-deprecating style that is almost light-hearted and yet deals with the very deepest issues is a remarkable achievement.
November 28, 2024
I listened to the audiobook but will be purchasing a paper copy because it will be one that I will want to read again and bookmark and highlight and share passages with others. It has profound insight and wisdom. The book speaks through the lens of Holy Week which I wasn’t so sure about in the beginning but how beautiful and moving this lens was to me. Here is an excerpt from the end of the book that I feel gives a great summary:
This book has been all about questions: questions of the heart (“How am I going to get through this?”), questions of the head (“Why aren’t my prayers being answered?”), and questions of the soul (“Where are you God?”). On Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday we ask such things again and again. But then, on Easter Sunday, the tables are turned. Now it is Jesus coming at us with questions, not to test but to heal us. He of all people understands that this process of dealing with the mess created by our disappointments in prayer can be agony. He knows that without His help, we will become bitter not better. But that if, like Mary, we will continue to worship, even at the grave of everything we ever believed, our grief can eventually turn to gold. His life proves that the greatest miracle in the world—greater than any healing or any revelation—is the grace unleashed by a life refined through suffering. The ultimate answer to humanity’s greatest questions have come to us through the agony of Christ’s own unanswered prayers.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead . . . In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuiness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:3, 6-7
I highly recommend this book for anyone who has struggled with why God doesn’t answer prayer in the ways we would want or if you feel like God has abandoned you. I also recommend it to those who have shared life with others who have been brave enough to share these struggles as this book can be an encouragement to them.
This book has been all about questions: questions of the heart (“How am I going to get through this?”), questions of the head (“Why aren’t my prayers being answered?”), and questions of the soul (“Where are you God?”). On Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday we ask such things again and again. But then, on Easter Sunday, the tables are turned. Now it is Jesus coming at us with questions, not to test but to heal us. He of all people understands that this process of dealing with the mess created by our disappointments in prayer can be agony. He knows that without His help, we will become bitter not better. But that if, like Mary, we will continue to worship, even at the grave of everything we ever believed, our grief can eventually turn to gold. His life proves that the greatest miracle in the world—greater than any healing or any revelation—is the grace unleashed by a life refined through suffering. The ultimate answer to humanity’s greatest questions have come to us through the agony of Christ’s own unanswered prayers.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead . . . In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuiness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:3, 6-7
I highly recommend this book for anyone who has struggled with why God doesn’t answer prayer in the ways we would want or if you feel like God has abandoned you. I also recommend it to those who have shared life with others who have been brave enough to share these struggles as this book can be an encouragement to them.
January 8, 2021
Every Christian in western culture should read this book.
It is truly a refreshing look at why prayer sometimes goes unanswered- from one Christ-follower to another. In a culture that expects instant gratification, a false interpretation of the Gospel often leads us to believe that we should not suffer here- that our suffering is a lack of faith on our part. And Pete takes us by the hand and goes through the story of Jesus' death and resurrection- and how these things give us answers when our prayers seem to have none.
It is truly a refreshing look at why prayer sometimes goes unanswered- from one Christ-follower to another. In a culture that expects instant gratification, a false interpretation of the Gospel often leads us to believe that we should not suffer here- that our suffering is a lack of faith on our part. And Pete takes us by the hand and goes through the story of Jesus' death and resurrection- and how these things give us answers when our prayers seem to have none.
April 30, 2024
5/5 - God on Mute is the first book I’ve read that points to legitimate, scripture-based reasons for unanswered prayer, a concept I’ve historically struggled with and been unable to tackle on my own. I’d recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand the “why” behind perceived silence from God, as well as anyone merely looking to better understand prayer.
“Our unanswered prayers are being stored by God and may eventually be our most powerful contribution to the world; these prayers may be the real ministry of our lives.”
“Our unanswered prayers are being stored by God and may eventually be our most powerful contribution to the world; these prayers may be the real ministry of our lives.”
Displaying 1 - 30 of 311 reviews