God's presence instead of answers

So, sometimes when I sit down to write these posts at odd hours, I wonder if that's really the best time to try and write cohesive thought on something. But, then I realize that this is when I do most of my thinking so maybe it's the time when my brain is working best. Then again, it may also be the time when I ramble the most . . . or I may be short and to the point. Who knows? Maybe it's just because I am a night person that it seems like blog ideas come to me in the wee hours of the morning. Anyways, that is not the purpose of writing this . . . on to why I started to write this blog . . .

I read a quote earlier today as part of some study that really just struck me:

Sometimes we don't realize how real God is until we've experienced the
awesomeness of His answerless presence. (Beth Moore)

There's some incredible depth there, and it's been something I've been thinking about all evening.

I wonder if the idea presented in it is somewhere you have been. I know it's somewhere I have been in the distant past and in the not-so-distant past. That place where we have hard questions about life and we go to God with them but, rather than getting the answer we are looking for, we experience God's presence in a way we haven't before or haven't in a while. We may not get the answer to our question, but we leave that time knowing without any doubt that God is real and that He is with us in the midst of whatever is causing us to ask those questions.

Sometimes in those times when we are asking the hard questions of life to God, we may feel like what we want is for God to somehow answer those questions - for Him to just explain the greater reasons for what happened, those things we cannot see. But, I think that sometimes God knows what we actually need is His presence, not His answers. We may be completely convinced we want answers - we want God to explain Himself to us. God knows better. He knows that in those times what we often need far more than answers is to know He is real and He is there.

We really just need to know He has not left us alone in the pain or sorrow that has brought on the questions. In those emotions we have convinced ourselves that if we could just get the answer from God about why He allowed it we would be satisfied. But, ultimately God knows that the answers will not satisfy us. The only thing that will satisfy us in the pain or sorrow is
knowing He is there and He is real.

Sometimes we don't realize how real God is until we've experienced the awesomeness of His answerless presence. (Beth Moore)

a poem - again

"Believe Me, Child," said the Father,
"Even when life seems hard
and the challenges overwhelm.
You must learn to trust Me;
to trust that I know best."

"Believe You?" asked the child.
"How do I do that,
when life doesn't seem to make sense?
It's just so hard to trust
in Someone I cannot see."

"Believe Me, Child," said the Father,
"Even when life seems hard
and the challenges overwhelm.
I will never change;
I will never leave You alone."

"Believe You?" asked the child.
"How do I do that,
when life doesn't seem to make sense?
How do I believe You,
when you feel so far away?"

"Believe Me, Child," said the Father.
"You must make a choices,
and place your trust in me.
I know it won't be easy,
but be assured I will never change.
I will always be here;
I will not forsake you."

"Help me to believe You!" cried the Child.
"Even when life seems hard
and the challenges overwhelm,
I will choose to believe You -
that You will never change;
That You are always there.
I believe; help my unbelief."

nothing is too hard for God

Do you ever have those times when you struggle to believe whether God can really do what seems to need to be done in a situation? When you wonder if God really can do the miracle you are asking Him to do? When you wonder whether your request of Him is too much - too big? I would venture to guess that many of us have those times - and that they are more common than we would really care to admit.

Earlier this week, I was listening to some teaching at a Bible study I'm part of, when the teacher pointed us to a passage of Scripture in Jeremiah 32 that I know I've read before, but it had never really stuck with me. There was one verse in particular that really jumped off the page at me:

"Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power
and outstretched arm. Nothing it too hard for you."
(Jeremiah 32:17, NIV, emphasis mine)

I had to go back and read the rest of that passage later because when I first saw that verse on the page, it hit me so hard that I went back and reread it multiple times right then.

That was just exactly the reminder that I needed right then. There is nothing that is too difficult for God! Nothing! So, we can pray those big prayers and know that it is not asking too much of God. We can ask for miracles and know that God is able to perform them. There is nothing that is too hard for God to do it! I'd say that's pretty good news to be reminded of.

"you are being loved"

For the last few days I have had a song by the same title as this blog running through my head. It's a reminder that I need from time to time . . . that I am being loved by God . . . actively right now. I don't know if someone else needs to hear this right now, but I wanted to share the song with you.

You Are Being Loved - Steven Curtis Chapman