Sunday, March 11, 2007

Day 14 – When my God seems distant

When my God seems distant

It is easy for me to worship God when things are going great in my life, but circumstances are not always pleasant. So how do I worship God then, when I’m faced with unpleasant circumstances? I have learnt that the deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of my pain, thanking Him during my trial, trusting Him when tempted, surrendering while suffering and loving Him when He seems distant. This can be difficult, but because I’ve spent time getting to know Him, it’s a little less easy for me to trust Him.

I have found that to mature my friendship with God, God will test it with periods of seeming separation (even though He is there); with times when it feels as if He has abandoned or forgotten me. Even David a man called after “God’s own heart” frequently complained of God’s apparent absence – Psalm 10 vs. 1 – Why, O Lord do you stand far off, why do you hide yourself in times of trouble. Psalm 22 vs. 1 – My God, my God why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? Psalm 43 vs. 2 – You are God my stronghold, why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning oppressed by the enemy – Psalm 74 vs. 11; Psalm 88 vs. 14; Psalm 89 vs. 49].

Yet Deut. 31 vs. 8 reminds me that my God will never leave me nor forsake me even when I’m faced with circumstances when He feels distant.

Even though God admits in Isaiah 45 vs. 15 and 8 vs. 17 that He hides His face from me and appears to be missing out of my life, especially when I’ve sought Him and haven’t been able to find Him, that though it’s painful and disconcerting, it is absolutely important for the development of my faith, bearing in mind that God is always present even when I was unaware of Him. Job understood this in chapter 23 vs. 8.

So even in my crisis I need to stay communicated with Him [Job 1 vs. 20 – 23 – Job still praised God even in His crisis]. Such communication involves me telling Him how I felt about my situation [Job 7 vs. 11], as God can handle my doubt, anger, fear, grief confusion and questions [Job 7 vs. 11; Psalm 116 vs. 10;]. To believe that God will still love me after I’ve been frank with Him.

Even in my crisis I need to focus on His unchanging nature – regardless of how I feel to remember His unchanging character, never to doubt in the dark what God told me in daylight. To trust Him to keep His promises, and remember the things He has done for me before and how He has brought me this far. To remind myself that if God never did anything else or more for me from now on till the end of my days – He still deserves my praise for what His son Jesus did for me on the cross - 2 Corinth. 5 vs. 21 – God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Lessons Learnt on Day 14

Regardless of how I feel, God is real and is worthy of my praise. To remind myself not to allow my situations to disconnect my communication with God. To be content with the knowledge that my God will never leave me nor forsake me [Heb. 13 vs. 5] even when He feels distant.

8 comments:

Naijadude said...

Nice post yet again, thanks a bunch!

I would like your insight/participation in a series of question I have, I kinda promised to have a convo with some people individually though.

Yeah, I am hoping on putting the questions on my blog, which ever one you would love to reply to just go ahead write it and i will publish so everyone visiting can benefit from it. Does that sound good? Thanks

Have a great week

The Life of a Stranger called me said...

@ND - no problem. Send me the info via my email and I'll try my best to answer the questions.

Jennifer A. said...

the deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of my pain, thanking Him during my trial, trusting Him when tempted, surrendering while suffering and loving Him when He seems distant

*Sigh* when we praise God when nothing is going right, we may not realize it, but it elevates us*

Focusing on His "unchanging chanracter," is the key, just like u said. Because He is God whether we are in the valley or on top of the mountain, He is still the SAME God.

he he...thats soooo cooool!

Zoe Believer said...

Very nice post, it reminds me of the poem 'Footprints in the sand' at the lowest points in my life, even through the tears there is always an inner calm and peace that God is here and even though i can't FEEL it, i choose to BELIEVE it. Remain blessed.

The Life of a Stranger called me said...

@ Jaycee - i like the way you 'snippet' things - pulling out impotant stuff. LOL.

@believer - what an amazing God that we have, that we may not feel His presence, but the fact that we know He's there, carries us through our lowest point. How have you been??

Zoe Believer said...

Hiya, i've been ok. Really busy with research and all although i put a reply to your comment on my blog, don't know if you've seen it. I am at the beginning of a major overhaul of my time/information management system!! Thanks for your posts, they always leave me with something to think about!!

Cherub (former Bijouxoxo) said...

This part bugged me a little, "but because I’ve spent time getting to know Him, it’s a little LESS easy for me to trust Him." Is that a typo that shld read more?

How will one be able to tap into that anointing if and when everything's rosy? To mature spiritually, one needs to be tested. U're so right, God is unchanging and he'll never cease to be God. That's why one of my favorite names of God is "Ancient of Days."

A true story i'll share with u. Our youth leader, a staunch believer, was going thru some hard times. Anyways, we paid him a visit and tried encouraging him with the story of Job. Guess what the bro. said? "My dears, that was Job in the bible, mine is reality so get real." I was gobsmacked! Thinking does this dude think the stories in the bible are fairy tales?

The Life of a Stranger called me said...

@ cherub - there was no typo - Less in the sense that becasue you know He is in control it is easier for you to say 'I know Im struggling and Im not happy and Im hurting..but I will trust you..becasue what else can I do'.... Less way. As when you don't know God, nomatter what you have been told you woll never see God as faithful or merciful, becasue You have not learned to trust HIM.

Babe I Have a word for you. Will share on TERC.