Podcast Summary: "When You Can't Hear God" (The Bryce Crawford Podcast, EP 185, March 23, 2026)

Episode Overview

In Episode 185, titled "When You Can't Hear God," host Bryce Crawford delves deep into the difficult spiritual experience of feeling disconnected from God—when it seems that He has gone silent. Using the biblical narrative of Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 32) and drawing from both scripture and personal reflection, Bryce explores why believers encounter these silent seasons, how impatience can lead to rebellion, and the ways in which God's timing and silence may actually be acts of care and preparation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Context Setting: The Israelites and the Golden Calf

• Scripture Focus: Exodus 32, with a summary of events starting from Exodus 24.
• Recap: Moses ascends Mount Sinai to meet God and receive commandments. The Israelites, feeling Moses is delayed, become impatient and ask Aaron to make new gods for them. Aaron creates a golden calf from the gold the Israelites brought out of Egypt—a gift from God.
  • Quote (Bryce, 05:00):
    "When God goes silent in today's society, especially, we do similar things that Israel did...The whole purpose of looking at how stupid the Israelites were in the Old Testament was for us as believers to go, yeah, I'm never gonna do that. Whatever they did, I'm not gonna do that."

2. Modern Application: Our Own Golden Calves

• Insight: Just as the Israelites misused God’s gifts, modern believers often make idols out of God-given blessings—relationships, success, material possessions—especially when impatient or feeling God’s absence.
  • Quote (Bryce, 09:45):
    "Every time you say, 'God, if you just do this thing for me...I'll serve you,' then God pulls through, and then you abandon God. You never loved God in the first place in that moment."

3. The Danger of Impatience

• Observation: Impatience can breed rebellion against God and open the door to sinful behaviors or misplaced trust.
  • Bryce illustrates with personal anecdotes: Turning to pornography, relationships, or other quick-fixes for relief when God seems silent.
  • Quote (Bryce, 25:25):
    "Impatience in our life breeds rebellion against God...God isn't listening to me. God has gone silent...that can allow sin to creep in the crack of the door."

4. God's Silence as Preparation

• Biblical Reflection: While Moses was 'delayed,' he was receiving commandments and instructions for the Ark of the Covenant—a key step in God drawing closer to humanity.
  • Key Point: God’s seeming absence is often preparation for something greater.
  • Quote (Bryce, 17:55):
    "Moses isn't just up on this mountain, dilly dallying, doing his thing. They're taking a monumental step to bring God closer to people."

5. God’s Progressive Closeness

• Timeline Presented:
  • Law given to Moses
  • Instruction for the Ark of the Covenant (God’s presence housed tangibly)
  • Jesus takes on flesh and walks among humanity
  • Post-Ascension: Holy Spirit indwelling believers
• Encouragement: If God feels distant, He may be moving closer than we realize—even if we can't see it yet.

6. On God's Timing

• Reflections: Most beautiful things take time—cathedrals, diamonds, gold, and even spiritual maturity.
  • Examples Used: Israel’s 40 years in the desert; Abraham waiting 100 years for Isaac; 400 years of silence before Christ's birth.
  • Quote (Bryce, 21:50):
    "God tends to take his time on things. Why is that? Because he knows what's best for us. God's never late or delayed as the Israelites [thought]... God's always on time."

7. On Unanswered Prayers

• Scripture Referenced: 2 Corinthians 12—Paul’s thorn in the flesh.
• Key Lesson: Sometimes God’s “no” is a protective answer, keeping us reliant on Him.
  • Quote (Bryce, 37:10, paraphrasing God’s response to Paul):
    “My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in your weakness.”
  • Bryce's Application:
    "If he did take it away, you'd be your own God and you wouldn't need Him."

8. Practicing Faithful Patience

• Ancient vs. Modern Mindset:
  • Israel judged God based on past faithfulness (“God pulled through before, he’ll do it again”), while modern linear thinking fixates on the present troubles.
  • Encouragement: To recall God’s past faithfulness as fuel for present hope and trust.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On transforming God’s gifts into idols
  "In chapter 32, we watched the Israelites take a gift that God graciously gave them, turn it into an idol, and then they say, this golden image that we just built right here, this is the thing that led us out of Egypt."
  [10:30]

• On instant gratification vs. God’s timing
  "We're a popcorn generation right now. It's like we want things done quickly. We don't have patience...God tends to take time on things. In fact, the most beautiful things in life take time."
  [19:40]

• On misinterpreting God’s silence
  "Maybe, just maybe...when God doesn't give you something, maybe that's because you can't be trusted with it."
  [14:55]

Key Timestamps

• 05:00 — Comparing ancient Israel’s impatience to modern Christian life.
• 10:30 — Reflection on turning God’s gifts into idols.
• 17:55 — What Moses was doing on Mount Sinai: God’s preparation work.
• 19:40 — The challenge of waiting: God’s time vs. instant gratification.
• 21:50 — How God works through history and why “late” isn’t in His vocabulary.
• 25:25 — How impatience breeds rebellion and heart drifts.
• 37:10 — God’s “no” is sometimes a loving answer; reliance developed through weakness.

Closing Prayer

Bryce wraps up the episode with a prayer, emphasizing contentment, patience, and thankfulness, asking God for strength to remain steadfast during silent seasons.

Takeaways

• God’s silence is not absence; it’s often preparation or protection.
• Impatience can cause us to misuse blessings and wander spiritually.
• Remember God’s past faithfulness as an antidote to restlessness.
• Sometimes “no” or “wait” from God is the most loving answer.
• Cultivate patient trust; spiritual depth is formed in the waiting.

Bryce’s tone throughout is both compassionate and challenging—inviting listeners to honestly reflect, while encouraging them to trust God’s process, even (and especially) when He feels distant.