Sometimes He Calms His Child...

Hi Beloveds...

I was just thinking last night about being in the presence of God.  I was thinking about how there are times in our life where we can be "doing" everything right and yet things still look dark.

We run to God in moments of pure desperation after being tossed about.  We have spent time in the Word.  We have spent time in prayer.  We have fasted.  We have come to Him with a pure heart, begging Him to make things better, yet the hurt goes on.

Are we not in His presence?  Are we missing Him somehow?  Is there more we need to "do"?



After some thought, the short answer I came up with is no.  It is however a faith and timing thing.

Ecclesiastes tells us there is...

A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance. (Ecclesiastes 3:4 NASB)

I could go on quoting countless scriptures about the enevitablility of trials, pain, and even their use in the perfecting of His saints.

The question remains.  Why?

Here is what I have been able to come up with...

It's not all about us.  It's ultimately, as it should be, all about Him.  He wants to show His love for us.  He has a greater plan that involves more than just us.  He has given us free will and wants us to pick Him.  To make this happen there has to be two differing options to pick from.  Good and evil.  Life and death.  He loves us so He gives us the freedom to pick Him.  He wants to be in a relationship with us and anything less than this would be akin to slavery and unfulfilling to Him.

When we get in these moments, questioning wether or not we have missed God because the pain continues, we have not missed Him.  He is there, right by our side holding us.  He wants us to turn it over to Him.  He wants us to turn our focus off the things causing us the hurt and put it back on Him and the promises of His word.  Make no mistake, though His patience, mercy, and grace abound, He demands that He is the center of our world.   When we switch this focus true peace and joy flood in.  Is it possible things dont look better in the natural yet?  Sure.  That is why faith is required.  Faith is a conscious and mental decision.  (The "works" of our faith come after this decision has been made and I believe are a byproduct of it.)

I also said above I thought it could be a timing thing.  I believe there are times in our life when we will have to suffer while we wait on others.  I think this happens with those we are called to love.  Love is patient, right.  This is a spouse, this is a son or daughter, etc.  As they walk through a desert or through free will make decisions that bring pain, we can be effected as well.

True long suffering does include a certain amount of suffering.
If we turn to God in these times though He will give us strength, comfort, and joy while we stand fast in love.  As a matter of fact in my own life I have found He uses these moments to work on my "areas of opportunity" as well.

Father God I love you so much!  Thank you for all the blessings of my life.  Please use this post to bless someone.  This world so badly needs you right now.  Please use me as a tool of your love.  My heart cries out but my faith remains in you!  You have all of this man's heart.  Do with me what you choose.