I have read several blogs this morning.
I fall behind, then spend a chunk of time catching up. AND while I am catching up, what that entails is me bookmarking ones I want to read later, deleting those which I just don’t relate to by title, and every now and then stopping right where I am and reading a post on the spot because the title and intro are so compelling.
OK that is for WP.
For my personal email, I read them as they post daily. I receive very few to my personal email.
Anyway, a common theme today was “when God is silent” and “when God has left us alone.”
What I found myself thinking in those posts is “God doesn’t leave us alone.”
Now the authors of those posts eventually say the same thing OR they talk about how to hang in there until we feel God’s presence again.
I am confused.
I honestly never think that God leaves me: He is omnipresent so how can he.
God is silent most of the day every day — it is I who must reach out to Him — so how can I claim His sudden silence. (Or is it just that when I need it most it is not on demand?)
As I wrote in my post last week, I had a terrible argument but I don’t think God left the room. I don’t think God left me in the presence of someone and disappeared leaving me helpless and alone.
People get sick. REALLY sick. That can be genetics, a hard life, environment or many other earthly and natural causes….but God never left– He also didn’t cause it. AND yes !!!! He did NOT prevent it. But He didn’t prevent the Holocaust either. He doesn’t always insert Himself into our lives. We are not forsaken or less than if we do not receive a miracle. He has NOT left us.
God is not a vending machine.
We don’t get to say our wish, our prayer, and expect an answer to be clear.
This may be frustrating. It is frustrating.
But faith is believing He is always there. Even in the hours of the cross He was there. Jesus felt forsaken, it doesn’t mean he was. And we ALL get that on this side of the story. We just have trouble with that concept when it is our own story.
God does NOT abandon us. NEVER.
He is silent often, even in good times….we just don’t listen as hard then so we don’t expect instant comfort.
You are never alone. And that is true faith.
Until Next Time,
Blessings, Kate
Encouraging-Grace 
This is a wonderful post, Kate–it reflects what I know previously, and what I experienced this Easter. There is something indescribably real and comforting about when Jesus sits beside us (or walks beside us) in a less than joyous time. We can just “be still” and “rest in Him”…He doesn’t expect us to dance just because it’s Easter (the celebration of His Resurrection). He loves us for who we are, the way we are, and where we are. And in our weakness He is Strong, He carries us…like the Good Shepherd who LOVES his sheep. Maybe God bless you so Abundantly! ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for such a beautiful post
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re more than welcome, Kate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You, Zelda, my wife and I, and oh so many disciples learn this the hard way. I don’t believe there is any other option, knowing Scripture(OT and NT). Thanks for the old truth that God is not a vending machine. We don’t insert faith and get something back. But we do pray, due to our having faith. God knows.
This is a great message for today, as long as it is called Today. We actually know everything is winding down, the end is coming when life on the new Earth is experienced by those who live as aliens and strangers here.
thank you sister.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh, a long time favorite of mine is J.B.Philips book “Your God is too small”. It is a good look at what we should and should not think or claim about our great God and Savior.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amen! Kate, your testament targets our necessity to remain faithful to God. He is ever-present in our lives . . . our omnipotent God. Believers need to trust and understand this in their faith journey.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is not always easy. But if we accept His presence as fact it makes it easier when we struggle.
Thank you for stopping by!!
Have a blessed rest of your Sunday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In John 6 we read that Jesus was asked what must be done to receive the Bread of Life, he said “This is the work God requires, that you trust and believe in him whom he has sent.” We just are not used to working this way, we think faith has only to do with our salvation.
So, it isn’t easy to obey Christ and our Father, but it is doable. And no need for do-overs, since we live in the “now” moment of our lives — we are already eternal beings in our new Creation. Woo Hoo!
We just live in a world filled with non-eternal beings, but our faith is what we move them to ask “what is the hope within you” as we move by faith. Oh yes. Amen. Thanks Kate and bigskybuckeye.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank You Gregory for furthering the conversation! Love your contributions as always!
LikeLike