When humanist philosophers concluded there was no God, they did so with great optimism and triumphalism. However, the existential philosophers knew what this meant, and rejected that optimism. They then proceeded to craft a philosophy for coping and living with such a despairing conclusion. The silence of God presents us with the prospect of great despair. That despair is heightened when we are facing physical suffering. The recipients of the letter of Hebrews were struggling with the apparent silence of God amidst their suffering, and so their pastor wrote them a letter and began by reminding them–God spoke. The Way God speaks and Why He speaks carried them through, as it will us.