Finding God: A Helpful Response

The Pressing Question:    Where is God in all of this?  Why did God not act the way we expected He would? Have you ever wondered where God was and why He chose to act or rather not to act in the way you expected?  

Where is God?photo credit: Go-tea 郭天 Beyond the horizon via photopin (license)  

The Honest Dialogue:   Maybe you, like Job, have had similar conversations with the Lord.  Here is what Job had to say, "I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer;  I stand up, but you merely look at me.  You turn on me ruthlessly;  with the might of your hand you attack me.  You snatch me up and drive me before the wind;    you toss me about in the storm.  I know you will bring me down to death,  to the place appointed for all the living."  Job 30:20-23  Sometimes we may feel as if God is choosing to ignore our cries for help and for His intervention in horrible circumstances.  In fact, we may even feel that God is the cause of our trials.  God did allow Job to experience great hardship -- physical, emotional, and financial.  However, we must remember that although He allows trials to come into our lives, He always has our best interest at heart.  

The Purpose and The Plan:  "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."  Romans 5:3-5  God loves us enough not to let us remain where we are.  While we know Him to be all powerful, all knowing, and and all present, we must also recognize that He is still good in the midst of pain, sorrow and trouble.  This can be a difficult task.  In fact, this might be the most difficult task throughout your lifetime that you are asked to complete:  To believe in the goodness of God despite the trials that you encounter.  How do we do this?


The Helpful Response:  How do we believe and trust in the goodness of God when our world is falling apart?  Here are some practical ways we can work through our thoughts and emotions in difficult circumstances.

1)  Pray and ask the Lord for help.  Create in me a pure heart, O God,  and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence  or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation   and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:10-12

2) Share with someone you trust and ask them to pray with you.

3) Remind yourself of the truth about God from Scripture.

4) Recall how God has been faithful in the past and begin to write down what He has done in your life.  Thank Him for all that He has done.