You know how you go through seasons when it seems and feels like God is really, REALLY close to you? Like you are in constant communion with Him...praying without ceasing...continually amazed at every little bit He seems to reveal and speak directly into your heart?
And then there are other seasons.
Seasons when you have to remind yourself to pray...when you stumble across that scripture verse instead of eagerly seeking it out...when you struggle with doubt that seems to come at you from left field? One of my spiritual gifts is faith (which means I have an easier time than most when it comes to belief, trust, and assurance of the loving plan of a supernatural God), but even still, I sometimes get attacked by stabs of insecurity, fear, and doubt....about God's plan, God's goodness, God's presence.
Here are three things I remember to help me through these seasons:
1. Remember that the enemy is "a prowling lion seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). I have to guard my heart and mind because when I am walking in spirit and truth, Satan sees a target! And he has many customized methods he uses to attack.
2. Remember that God loves me and is not withdrawing from me. On the contrary, I can almost always look at my life and thoughts and see that it was ME who has pulled away. UNintentionally, I let my business and human ways of thinking take priority over seeking Him. I think I'm seeking Him because I keep praying for Him to draw close and I open my Bible now and then. But it has become secondary to my daily thoughts about home, work, ministry, people, and my own affairs in this life.
3. Remember that season of special closeness. Let me clearly state that I do not believe faith is or should be based on an emotion one feels. But I do believe that sometimes that emotion I felt so strongly is a gift to help sustain me in the season of drought. Remembering what I felt can give my mind clarity at a time when the looking glass seems blurry and dark. When God renews my faith, the "things of earth grow strangely DIM" as the song says. And that was probably the cause of the drought to begin with!
I don't know what season you're in right now. But I know you're human and probably have gone through, are going through, or will go through a season of distance--drought--at some point. Remember to be on guard against spiritual attack and your own fleshly mindsets, and remember the conviction of your faith to keep you grounded. I hope the skies open up in refreshing rains for you!
Grace and peace.
I've learned something recently that has been absolutely profound for me. I used to think there were seasons when God was silent, but I no longer believe that to be true. His greatest desire is relationship, and the essence of a strong relationship is communication. I don't believe He ever stops communicating with us.
ReplyDeleteYou see, God's 1st language is not English...or even human :-) He is otherly. Yet when we are growing in knowing Him, He will so graciously speak our language to draw us into intimacy. Then we reach those times when He seems silent. But He is not silent; He is just inviting us to press in and begin to learn His language. He can speak in so many ways...visions, tongues, angels, circumstances, His manifest presence, prophecy, and so much more! So when we hit those seasons of "where is God?", ask Him, "Lord, teach me Your language. I want to see and hear how you're speaking to me today. I'm willing to stretch my box of communication to once again draw nearer." He is so good.
Thank you, Becky, for your words of wisdom.
Thanks for the post! I can totally relate. With me not having a job for over a year now. I have a better understanding of what it means to have faith and to trust God even when things doesn't add up based on our human understanding.
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