When God Seems Far Away

The other day, after what seemed like months without having the opportunity to speak, I had a 2 hour conversation with one of my oldest and dearest friends. We’ve know each other for nearly 30 years, both love the Lord, are retired professionals from public service and each own a business.

Our troubled path this year has been well documented through my devotionals and stories. Between crazy circumstances, lost revenue, equipment failure and vender/manufacturer difficulties, our year has been one of the hardest since we started in business. I was really staring to feel a lot like Job wondering what I had done wrong or what exactly the God was doing and why?

I can honestly say I was questioning the Lord in all of this as I watch our bank account dwindle and other Christ followers struggle in similar circumstances, if not worse. What I did not know was my buddy was going through almost the exact same type of problems as us. Crazy circumstances, broken equipment and vendor problems that have led to significant lost revenue.

As I listened to my friend talk about all the stuff happening in his life, I stopped feeling like Job and started to see that I wasn’t the only one going through a nightmare. There was great solace in knowing I wasn’t alone even though I already knew that truth. Sometimes no matter how faithful you are or how deep your understanding of the Lord is, life just doesn’t make sense and you start to question EVERYTHING…and you know what, that’s OK.

There is strength in numbers as Christ followers. Having a bad day, pick up the phone, get in your car or walk down the street and visit with another believer, you just might be surprised in what you’ll find. Our Poppa knits us together with people who can and will help us through life, sometimes, you’re the one who has to initiate the conversation.

Blessings

When God Seems Far Away
by Os Hillman

“Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” – Psalm 10:1

One of the great mysteries of God is His ways. Some of His ways almost appear to bring us into the most difficult places, as if He were indifferent to our circumstances. It would appear that He is turning His head from our sorrows. These events in our lives have a particular objective to perform for us. That objective is to bring us to the end of ourselves that we might discover the treasure of darkness. “Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness” (Job 30:26).

When we are taken into these dark periods, we begin to see light that we never knew existed. Our sensitivities become heightened and our ability to see through spiritual eyes is illuminated. Unless we are taken into these times, our souls never develop any depth of character. We do not gain wisdom, only knowledge. Knowledge is gained through understanding; wisdom is gained through the experience of darkness.

After we go through these periods, we discover that God was, in fact, with us throughout the entire time. It does not feel or appear that He is there when we are in the midst of the dark periods. However, He is there walking with us. He has told us countless times that He will never leave us. However, when we are in those dark periods, it does not feel like He is there because He does not rescue us from the circumstances. He does this for our benefit in order that we might become more like Jesus. Jesus learned obedience from the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). What does that say about how you and I will learn obedience? Embrace the dark times and gain the wisdom that God intends for you from these times.