Many Christians, including myself have found times we feel alone. “God, where are you”? Even the faithful Job felt the same. We do know, in our hearts, that Jesus is there, whether we feel His presence or not.
As in the case of Job, the devil knows what to do to bring us to such despair that we say: “why have you forsaken me”. Even Jesus said these words on the cross. Obviously, Jesus knew there was a God and that God was there. Many theologists have suggested that Jesus said these words because God indeed was not there because He could not be in the presence of the sin Jesus bore on the cross for us. This may be true of that instance, however, Jesus himself said that He would not forsake us.
We cannot accept parts of the Bible we like and reject that which we don’t. Jesus said He would be there. Jesus does not lie.
I have discovered that it seems as if when things are well, we feel God’s presence greater. When we are in despair or turmoil is when we feel He’s not there. Perhaps we cannot feel Him in our despair because we do not look to Him for the way out of our despair.
Depression is at an all-time high. Especially with Christians. As in the scripture above, we can say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do. But we do fear.
If the theologists are correct that God could not be with Jesus on the cross because of the sin He carried for us, then it may be true that God cannot be in the presence of fear. After all, fear is the opposite of faith and the Bible says that without faith we cannot please God. It also tells us that fear is a sin.
I am personally in the middle of a great trial. The devil has used this as a way of making me look at the trial, rather than look towards God as the solution for that trial. We are not alone in feeling that God is not there. It is not true. God is there with us. The truth is that we are not with God. We are concentrating so much on our troubles that we do not look to the one that can overcome our troubles. This does explain why we feel God’s presence more when things go well. When things go well, our minds are more on God, not on our troubles.
I’m not saying that you or I will be able to remember this in times of trouble, but we must endeavor to concentrate more on faith in God than concentrating on our troubles.
The Bible says that we will have trials and persecutions in our service to God. Just remember that the Bible also tells us how to overcome those trials and persecutions.
There is an old song titled “Turn your eyes upon Jesus”. The writer obviously knew the importance of looking to God, not toward our troubles.
Trouble will always be with us. Persecution will always be with us. The devil will always be with us. Just remember, God will always be with us.
Think upon these words from John 16:32-33 “32Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”. |
