Does it ever feel like you're just talking to your ceiling? Even though I know God is always there, sometimes it's as if he isn't listening to me. Or he's just looking down on me, unresponsive. Sometimes his silence is infuriating; why does he leave me when I'm in so much pain?
It's a hard thing to accept when God doesn't answer us the way we want him to. We can sing "it is well with my soul" until the day he comes back for us, but learning how to actually be well with whatever befalls us is incredibly hard. Sometimes God doesn't deliver justice the way we want him to. Sometimes he doesn't immediately rescue us from the storm. And we must learn to put aside our selfishness and our desire to have our way. We must learn to be truly well with whatever he places before us.
One of my favorite verses is Job 2:10: "But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Should we receive good from God and not receive trouble?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips." These words from a man who went through so much anguish and yet never turned his back on God are powerful to me. And they remind me to check myself. All too often I think we just expect our prayers to be answered with a "yes" or in our favor. But should we only receive good from God and not trouble? If God only gave us good, the what state would we be in? God disciplines those he loves (Hebrews 12:6) and perseverance builds character, and character builds hope (Romans 5:4). God never said it would be easy and through our struggles, he builds us up. When we are weak, he is strong. So to only accept the good from him would be foolish.
Just last night, I was in pain. I was lonely and aching and crying out to him, begging him to help me. He stayed silent until my weeping was through and then he reminded me to be still. He's been teaching me for a while now that he is all I need. This is often a painful lesson but I'm willing to endure it.
When it feels like God isn't listening to you, when it feels like he's not there, it's important to remember his promise: he will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). Even when it feels like he is so far away, even when it feels like you can't reach him, he is there. Everyone knows the 23rd Psalm: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. But it is an incredibly soothing psalm because it reminds us that he IS all we need! When I'm distressed, just speaking this psalm relaxes me. I like the NIV because it says "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing."
A song I suggest for anyone who's feeling this way is The Valley Song by Jars of Clay. It's a song that speaks of the familiar pain of being here on earth but also rejoices in the mercy and beauty of our savior.
"When death, like a gypsy
Comes to steal what I love,
I will still look to the heavens
I will still seek your face.
But I fear You aren't listening
Because there are no words.
Just the stillness
And the hunger
For a faith that assures.
I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy."
Love and blessings to all
It's a hard thing to accept when God doesn't answer us the way we want him to. We can sing "it is well with my soul" until the day he comes back for us, but learning how to actually be well with whatever befalls us is incredibly hard. Sometimes God doesn't deliver justice the way we want him to. Sometimes he doesn't immediately rescue us from the storm. And we must learn to put aside our selfishness and our desire to have our way. We must learn to be truly well with whatever he places before us.
One of my favorite verses is Job 2:10: "But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Should we receive good from God and not receive trouble?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips." These words from a man who went through so much anguish and yet never turned his back on God are powerful to me. And they remind me to check myself. All too often I think we just expect our prayers to be answered with a "yes" or in our favor. But should we only receive good from God and not trouble? If God only gave us good, the what state would we be in? God disciplines those he loves (Hebrews 12:6) and perseverance builds character, and character builds hope (Romans 5:4). God never said it would be easy and through our struggles, he builds us up. When we are weak, he is strong. So to only accept the good from him would be foolish.
Just last night, I was in pain. I was lonely and aching and crying out to him, begging him to help me. He stayed silent until my weeping was through and then he reminded me to be still. He's been teaching me for a while now that he is all I need. This is often a painful lesson but I'm willing to endure it.
When it feels like God isn't listening to you, when it feels like he's not there, it's important to remember his promise: he will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). Even when it feels like he is so far away, even when it feels like you can't reach him, he is there. Everyone knows the 23rd Psalm: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. But it is an incredibly soothing psalm because it reminds us that he IS all we need! When I'm distressed, just speaking this psalm relaxes me. I like the NIV because it says "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing."
A song I suggest for anyone who's feeling this way is The Valley Song by Jars of Clay. It's a song that speaks of the familiar pain of being here on earth but also rejoices in the mercy and beauty of our savior.
"When death, like a gypsy
Comes to steal what I love,
I will still look to the heavens
I will still seek your face.
But I fear You aren't listening
Because there are no words.
Just the stillness
And the hunger
For a faith that assures.
I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy."
Love and blessings to all
