How do you get God to ACTUALLY help?

[Beanieboy]

I know how the OP feels. Ive been a Christian for over 20 years. Ive had health issues for over 20 years which affect my work life, my social life and for the last few years have meant I cant go to church. I just about to manage to keep on working but can do little else. Every time I think I am starting to get ahead something out of my control happens to drag me back down. When I am doing better at work and start moving up I keep getting moved to awful jobs In my working life I have been through 19 company restructures and similar, 18 of which have been detrimental to my career and 1 neutral. I have been moved to jobs working for really bad managers and bullies on numerous occasions, usually by people higher up who dont know the people involved. Several times its been to a lower paid job where I am allowed to stay on the same salary but have it frozen so I dont get any pay rises if I stay there. When I start feeling like I am getting back on my feet it just happens again, or something will happen that takes any money I have been able to save.I barely get by when I see most people around me going on holidays and having money for some luxuries. It never ends.

I've been through every emotion you could imagine with God through all this for decades. It feels that when I get in a place that is better with God, when I am most in love with Him, prepared to give everything for him I get a barrage of "bad luck" until I am totally beaten up by it.It seems that God does not want me in a position where I am even able to earn what I should be able to in the world. He wont protect me against attack. He wont respond to my love. He wont give me any blessing.

Over the years numerous people have said to me that they cant believe the amount of things that happen to me, whether it work, things like the car or home having problems that keep taking all my money to the point it feels like God wants my tithe and every other spare penny I have.

Im not after advice because Ive heard it all before, Ive done it all before and nothing helps, nothing makes it any better.

Ask God what you are being taught, and wait until you get an answer.

 

[Strong in Him]

I agree - God isn't a genie that grants wishes, but Christ said the birds of the air are fed, and God loves us more than the birds, and if a child asks for bread will not be given a stone. We also pray to "give us this day our daily bread."

Can you not understand, then when a person prays, trusts, but still have no food, and may feel betrayed or empty words?

Of course.
I was asking the OP what they meant by God's empty words; what has God said that they consider to be empty/useless?

 

[Beanieboy]

Of course.
I was asking the OP what they meant by God's empty words; what has God said that they consider to be empty/useless?

For me, that you give trusting it comes back to you, that you are provided for, but I would like to hear what the OP has to say as well.

 

[Mark Quayle]

Blaming? I guess so. I am blaming Him. Blaming Him for say he cares, then standing by while everything I care about burns without lifting a finger to help. Blaming Him for say his grace is sufficient, when it is NOTHING OF THE SORT. Blaming Him for saying you’ll get the desires of your heart, when he really means only if that is pain and suffering. So if that is what you mean by blaming, the yes, I suppose I am.

Do you give your children the desires of their heart? Or do you spend their whole childhood teaching them what to desire? Grow up.

The Bible uses in most places, a certain sort of rhetoric, that among other things requires you to compare Scripture with Scripture, instead of taking one promise out of context, then another out of context, etc. Middle eastern teachers taught in riddles, you could say. So, our deepest, true desires may be what he is referring to, rather than our transient emotional or physical 'needs'.

My deepest desire has grown to a need to be like him --yet, it hasn't happened, but I have learned a lot meanwhile. Be patient with God and with yourself.

One further note: this life is not about us. If God gives us the desires of our heart, it is still about him. He owes us nothing.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

When I say actually help, I mean materially improve the situation. I don’t mean ANY form of making me feel better about it. His grace, love, presence, patience, etc.=not actually helping. How do I get him to act rather than give me completely empty words?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Often the decisions we make early in life reflect the limited choices we are exposed to. For example kids who rush off to college, on their parent's dime or student loans, miss out on valuable exposure to the workaday jobs that former generations used to pay their own way. So we paint ourselves into a corner at an early age, often for life. Driving with wheels in a well developed rut means you don't have to steer the car.

My own brother was in such an employment rut most of his life. He complained bitterly about being underpaid, but resisted any advice to find a better paying job. He was comfortable in his rut.

Shortly after graduating high school I was surprised to learn that a former classmate, who I assumed was college bound, had with his brother recently purchased two apartment buildings, and was going into the property rental business. I met yet another classmate, a girl, who informed me that her and her husband had just purchased their fourth apartment building. This took me completely by surprise as I couldn't imagine someone so young being involved in what I considered an older person's business activity. They knew that this was a pathway to wealth without the need for further formal education.

A good friend's uncle-in-law, a wealthy man who had founded a very successful insurance company confided that he realized early that he would never have the life he desired with his education and by working ordinary jobs. He sold insurance for many years, learning the business, saving his money, until the opportunity to fill a niche in the insurance business presented itself.

When I was still in high school I had visions of personal wealth and all the goodies that wealth could buy. I perused books on the subject. One in particular caught my eye. It was titled simply, "How To Get Rich". In the first few pages it revealed the level of dedication necessary. Dedication that as a young man I didn't have. I returned the book to the shelf and disavowed myself of the notion.

But I didn't forget what I had learned from and about others in this regard, and in my mind knew that I would also go down that path eventually.

I believe everyone has a comfort level regarding income and wealth, some with little, others with more. One should have enough so money and wealth is no longer a distraction. It's like eating a good meal. Once filled you no longer think about food.

If you are pointed in the direction of being an employee early in life you might find yourself enriching the boss, at the expense of your own well-being. People aren't hired to be enriched but to enrich the company and it's investors.

Unless you are in a high paying occupation it is pretty difficult to accumulate wealth. Many believe that 40 hours per week is sufficient. Any successful business person will quickly disavow you of that idea.

 

[danielmears]

When I say actually help, I mean materially improve the situation. I don’t mean ANY form of making me feel better about it. His grace, love, presence, patience, etc.=not actually helping. How do I get him to act rather than give me completely empty words?

I know what you mean. We speak the word, believing we are delivered; for with God it is already done. I usually notice there is a pause but then what you are asking, believing you receive then does come about or the way comes to you. By faith all things work!

 

[danielmears]

You must believe in your heart it will occur. That is the tough part sometimes, to convince yourself. But it is spiritual law. Power does release. When we have lived according to the world we really have to work at it. I have been there crying out, I know what you mean and it can make one bitter, been there. We must plant the Word within our heart, the center of our being, our mind, where it Will grow like a tree! The parable of the sower is not just a cool story it is instructions.
We have to be Doers of the Word. Over and over Christ tells us, it is done unto you as you believe. We do not beg when we pray, we speak the word, the promises of God, believing we receive, that it is already done! God's Word works but we also must love for God is love. Christ tells us how to be overcomers of the world but we must believe and call things which are not as though they were! May God bless you abundantly mentally, spiritually and all ways you need!

 

[Gregory Thompson]

When I say actually help, I mean materially improve the situation. I don’t mean ANY form of making me feel better about it. His grace, love, presence, patience, etc.=not actually helping. How do I get him to act rather than give me completely empty words?

This passage came to mind.

God Bless.

James 4
1 ¶ From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

 

[Questioning Brother]

Of course.
I was asking the OP what they meant by God's empty words; what has God said that they consider to be empty/useless?

For me, that you give trusting it comes back to you, that you are provided for, but I would like to hear what the OP has to say as well.

I thought I was clear about that in the original post. All the words/phrases that express His concern/love/grace etc are empty and hollow compared to His actions (or rather inaction). Actions speak louder than words. His words whisper, “I love you.” His actions shout with a microphone hooked up to a huge sound system, “I don’t care!”

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I thought I was clear about that in the original post. All the words/phrases that express His concern/love/grace etc are empty and hollow compared to His actions (or rather inaction). Actions speak louder than words. His words whisper, “I love you.” His actions shout with a microphone hooked up to a huge sound system, “I don’t care!”

You are wrong and in error. God did show forth His love in actions towards you. Jesus suffered greatly for your sins beyond your imagining, and He died upon the cross to pay the penalty for your sin so you can be forgiven and or that you can go to Him to have forgiveness.

Did you make the sky, the sun, and the moon? Right now, you are trying to be like God and demanding how God should act (When you do not know that God has a greater plan for good to those who love Him).

Scripture says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Right now, you are not loving God. So this verse above does not apply to you. You are walking by sight and not by faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

Job suffered greatly. Job lost his health, wealth, and family. Did Job act as you did? No.
Job at least stayed faithful to God.
Joseph's brothers had sold Joseph into slavery and made their father think he was dead.
Joseph went through a really rough time. He was thrown into prison, and accused of a crime falsely.
Did Joseph think like you? No. He served God and remained faithful to Him, and in the end Joseph reconciled with his brothers who did evil against Him. God turned a bad situation into a good one.

It is the same with the cross. The disciples at first seemed like things were hopeless when their master (JESUS) died. But what looked like the death of the master (JESUS) was actually a greater plan for good in forgiving their sin (and in forgiving all men's sins).

Anyways, if you cannot see things clearly after this, then continue on to blame God all you like, and see where that gets you come judgment day. I assure you, things will not go well for you if you continue on your current present course.

 

[Amittai]

I thought I was clear about that in the original post. All the words/phrases that express His concern/love/grace etc are empty and hollow compared to His actions (or rather inaction). Actions speak louder than words. His words whisper, “I love you.” His actions shout with a microphone hooked up to a huge sound system, “I don’t care!”

QB, the person behind the microphone is the person described in Mt 23:4, loading huge burdens onto you and not lifting a finger.

Eschew designer outlet religion!

Until 6 days ago, I was an agnostic (I'm not saying any more about this). Your mention of sound systems is very poignant and raw with me.

My life contains lots of precariousness at the concrete level. I don't fit the triumphal profile required.

I was reduced to praying "Jesus, if there's a real Jesus" as opposed to the fake one.

This experience has placed us ahead of the game because we shall be able to discern, whereas others may not be able to.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I believe if a person is not broken before the foot of the cross, they are simply going to doubt God and complain against Him. If you have not been truly broken before Jesus over your sin and what He has done for you by suffering greatly for you, and by dying on the cross for you, then you are never going to get it. You feel God just owes you things in life when we actually owe a great debt to God because of our sin. Sin is what prevents many men from seeing their own brokenness before the cross. If you are enslaved to sin, and living a life of sin, it is you who should be seeking forgiveness with the Lord and in being in awe that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). If God's grace, or John 3:16 does not make you in awe of God, you have your priorities wrong. You want your sin still and not God in your life. You want your best life now and not God. You want to play ball on your own terms with God, and not play ball on God's terms (Which is through the cross and in being broken up over your sin before Him and in being grateful that He loved you so much that He died for you and suffered greatly for you). This leads to a changed heart, mind, and life whereby you want to love God and live for Him by faith (No matter what life throws at you). This grace that God has for you leads to a life of holiness and not justifying sin and or our own dark ways. For we walk by faith and not by sight.

 

[RaymondG]

Actions speak louder than words. His words whisper, “I love you.” His actions shout with a microphone hooked up to a huge sound system, “I don’t care!”

What if God feels the same about us. Do we whisper, "I trust you God", " I know you will deliver me," "I place this all in your hands,." And then worry and try to fix things ourselves? Again, God could be standing on the side wondering how He could actually get us to let Him help us.

 

[GirdYourLoins]

Ask God what you are being taught, and wait until you get an answer.

Being doing that for years and years and still no answer.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Being doing that for years and years and still no answer.

We have the Bible. These are all the teachings we could ever need. We ask God for the understanding on His Word. But we cannot begin this journey until we have been broken by the foot of the cross and we do not have a mentality in justifying sin or superiority feelings over God. God is God. We are just servants. We should never act like God is not coming through for us. The fault is always our own and not God if something is not going in the way that we like. In fact, there is no "way that we like." This is where many get tripped up. We can ask God for something, but it has to be in line with His will, and we have to be willing to forsake all things to follow the Lord. Unfortunately, most just want their own way and not God.

 

[Strong in Him]

I thought I was clear about that in the original post. All the words/phrases that express His concern/love/grace etc are empty and hollow compared to His actions (or rather inaction). Actions speak louder than words. His words whisper, “I love you.” His actions shout with a microphone hooked up to a huge sound system, “I don’t care!”

I'm sorry you feel like that.
I don't know your circumstances or exactly how you are feeling, but I can relate to your post. I spent years believing that only the nice feelings/things in my life were proof that God loved me; they weren't, but I couldn't see it.

You talk about God's inaction - yet he made the universe, world and you. You are made in his image. You have been given life and an opportunity to know God and have every spiritual blessing in Christ, Ephesians 1:3. You can be God's child, adopted as his son, John 1:12, Romans 8:16, and have his Spirit living in you.
You, like everyone else in this world, can have all this, not because you did anything to deserve it, or are clever, loving, intelligent or spiritual enough. The bible says that we have ALL sinned and all deserve death - that is, eternal, spiritual separation from God. But God sent his Son to die for sinners, Romans 5:8, so that we can be reconciled to him, Romans 5:11 and never be separated from his love, Romans 8:38-39.
You say that actions speak louder than words; look at the cross. A perfect, sinless man died on that cross - why? He offered his perfect life for your sinful one. That perfect, sinless man, Jesus, was also God. So God himself came into our world to walk alongside us and experience rejection, betrayal, insults, hope, joy and the day to day routine of what we go through.
Actions speak louder than words: God didn't just say that he understood, he became one of us, experienced our lives and proved it.

Yes, of course it would be nice to have a comfortable, pleasant life here, but not everyone has that.
People don't choose to be born into poverty, or with a disability or parents who neglected them or were addicts - none of us even chooses to be born. Yet if we have life, we are doing way better than small babies who die before they can live. If we have a home, we are doing better than those even in our own country who sleep on the streets, never mind all those who have lost their home. If we have 3 meals a day we are doing far better than those who don't even have one. If we are healthy we are doing better than those who were born with disabilities, or addicted. If we have family we are doing better than those who've lost their loved ones due to war or violence.
Sure, there are people in these positions who hate God for their lot in life - but there are also those who come to faith and come to trust, and love, him IN their circumstances.
Life can be unfair, sad or just the pits, but this life is not all there is.

 

[JIMINZ]

I thought I was clear about that in the original post. All the words/phrases that express His concern/love/grace etc are empty and hollow compared to His actions (or rather inaction). Actions speak louder than words. His words whisper, “I love you.” His actions shout with a microphone hooked up to a huge sound system, “I don’t care!”

After everything you have said in the OP it sounds more like you just want proof that God does in actuality exist.

Mark 8:12
And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

It's not by sight, but by Faith we stand!

 

[faroukfarouk]

I'm sorry you feel like that.
I don't know your circumstances or exactly how you are feeling, but I can relate to your post. I spent years believing that only the nice feelings/things in my life were proof that God loved me; they weren't, but I couldn't see it.

You talk about God's inaction - yet he made the universe, world and you. You are made in his image. You have been given life and an opportunity to know God and have every spiritual blessing in Christ, Ephesians 1:3. You can be God's child, adopted as his son, John 1:12, Romans 8:16, and have his Spirit living in you.
You, like everyone else in this world, can have all this, not because you did anything to deserve it, or are clever, loving, intelligent or spiritual enough. The bible says that we have ALL sinned and all deserve death - that is, eternal, spiritual separation from God. But God sent his Son to die for sinners, Romans 5:8, so that we can be reconciled to him, Romans 5:11 and never be separated from his love, Romans 8:38-39.
You say that actions speak louder than words; look at the cross. A perfect, sinless man died on that cross - why? He offered his perfect life for your sinful one. That perfect, sinless man, Jesus, was also God. So God himself came into our world to walk alongside us and experience rejection, betrayal, insults, hope, joy and the day to day routine of what we go through.
Actions speak louder than words: God didn't just say that he understood, he became one of us, experienced our lives and proved it.

Yes, of course it would be nice to have a comfortable, pleasant life here, but not everyone has that.
People don't choose to be born into poverty, or with a disability or parents who neglected them or were addicts - none of us even chooses to be born. Yet if we have life, we are doing way better than small babies who die before they can live. If we have a home, we are doing better than those even in our own country who sleep on the streets, never mind all those who have lost their home. If we have 3 meals a day we are doing far better than those who don't even have one. If we are healthy we are doing better than those who were born with disabilities, or addicted. If we have family we are doing better than those who've lost their loved ones due to war or violence.
Sure, there are people in these positions who hate God for their lot in life - but there are also those who come to faith and come to trust, and love, him IN their circumstances.
Life can be unfair, sad or just the pits, but this life is not all there is.

Isaiah 48.10 is relevant: "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction". It's not in avoiding the affliction that the blessedness is found; it's in the midst of it to know the blessedness of being the direct object of the Lord's choice and care.

 

[Questioning Brother]

Isaiah 48.10 is relevant: "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction". It's not in avoiding the affliction that the blessedness is found; it's in the midst of it to know the blessedness of being the direct object of the Lord's choice and care.

I don't want to be in the pleasant warm breeze of affliction