In this episode of "Not Even Solomon," I explore the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, the aging parents of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. Here is a couple advanced in years, carrying the weight of unanswered prayer, yet Zechariah still shows up. He is in the temple, doing the work he was born to do, refusing to let unfulfilled desire become an excuse to abandon purpose. And in that place of faithfulness, an angel appears with news that will change everything.

Join the conversation as I reflect on the delicate tension between community and solitude. Zechariah receives a promise so extraordinary—a son in his old age—yet his first response is disbelief. And so God silences him. Not as punishment, but as protection. Because sometimes, the greatest threat to a promise is premature conversation. Through this scripture reflection, I explore how Zechariah's silence became a season of incubation, allowing the impossible to take root without the interference of well-meaning voices, skepticism, or family tradition.

This episode offers Christian encouragement for anyone who has felt misunderstood, isolated, or silenced in their season of waiting. If you have tried to share what God has whispered to you, only to be met with confusion or doubt, perhaps you are incubating a John, something new that your community does not yet recognize. Healing through scripture invites us to see that God's silence is not abandonment, but a sacred space where faith is strengthened and promises are protected.

Drawing on biblical wisdom, I contrast Zechariah's doubt with Mary's quiet journey to Elizabeth, where two women carrying impossible pregnancies strengthened one another. This is a reminder that while community is essential, there are seasons when God calls us apart to mute the voices that would talk us out of believing. Spiritual healing comes when we stop striving to explain and start trusting the One who sent the promise.

If you have been waiting longer than you expected, if you have wondered whether your prayers have been forgotten, this reflection on Christian growth will encourage you to keep showing up. Obedience to God in the ordinary moments—like Zechariah in the temple—positions us for the extraordinary. And when the promise finally comes to full term, you will speak again. And what you declare will not be shaped by the expectations of others, but by the faithfulness of the God who never forgot you. This is bounce back faith, the kind that waits, incubates, and ultimately testifies to what only God could do.

Zechariah: Incubating the Promise in Silence