God, Where Are You?
What do you do when it feels like the world is falling out from under you, when you have held onto belief that circumstances will someday change and yet you are still in the throes of difficulties that you would never wish even on your enemies? Has God left you all alone to figure this out? Do you feel stranded in the middle of the desert with Job’s friends?
There is no easy answer to these questions. I know God is still in control and He is more concerned about our character than our comfort. He wants us to continue to trust Him when we feel all alone. God sees our afflictions and His heart yearns for us, yet He allows us to endure because He has bigger plans for us. His plans are not ours and His ways are not our ways.
He is after more in us, more in our character. Can we trust Him even when we don’t see or feel His presence? If we arrogantly hold onto our beliefs, expecting only blessings, we miss out on the best God has, and our faith is weak and has not passed the test of time and endurance. While we expect God to stop the storms of life and make the darkness go away, He calls us to Himself to allow His grace to cover us while the storm rages around us. We often get mad at God because He isn’t doing what we expect Him to do! We can get shortsighted , not willing to endure the present tribulations for the long term character He is building in us. [Rom. 5:3] Crying out, we ask, “God, I’ve endured these circumstances so long, when are You going to change them and take the struggles away?”
Let me say this, God is not bothered by our honest struggles, or even our outbursts of frustration. We can share with Him our deepest despair and He doesn’t get mad at us when we do so honestly and respectfully. I may not understand all the ways of God, but I know He focuses long term while I focus on a much shorter time scale. We must hang on to the truth that in all our trials He is able to work them out for good, for blessings. [Rom. 8:28]
Can we for the glory of God endure the trials and sufferings in this life with a grateful heart? We may need to face our anger and frustration before we can go there. I haven’t always received His hand with a grateful heart, but when I have, knowing He is still in control, it makes the trials more bearable. These trials have been God’s training ground for me, teaching me what it means to die to self, especially when I don’t want to. Remember, trials are not always a result of sin, and blessings are not always a result of righteousness.
We are called to do what is impossible in our natural man; we are called to “keep on rejoicing”. This doesn’t mean that we are giddy with excitement, but we choose to press on, to find joy, trusting that God is still in control.
God works through the pain of His people for His Glory. Not all His works are apparent. Are we willing to allow God to take us through fiery trials in order that His name is glorified even when we don’t see the end?
Faith and obedience do not always result in temporal blessing. When difficulties come, don’t quit, continue, persevere, press on, and God is pleased with you and will receive glory as we persevere in our deepest trials. Why? That He might be glorified! [1 Pet 4:12-19]