Does it Seem That God has Forsaken You?
By Rhonda Jones
There are times in the life of every believer that we feel alone
and distanced from God. During these times we contemplate
whether there is sin in our lives or may even think God is upset
with us. Our prayers appear to go unanswered. God seems as far
away as the distant galaxies of Milky Way. Yet, even when we
feel as alone a child who has wandered out of the reach of his
parents, we can rest assured that we have never lingered from
God's sight or concern. God's word tells us "he will never leave
us or forsake us."
So if God has not forsaken us, then why do I feel so alone?
Where is His help when we feel we need Him most? Our physical
journeys and growth through life often parallel our spiritual
walk. You can take almost any spiritual truth in the Bible and
find that it relates somehow to our natural world. I believe
this is God's way of relating his word to our everyday
experiences. The same holds true in the area spiritual and
physical maturity.
We're born into this world helpless and needy. Our parents take
on the sole responsibility of meeting our needs from feeding us
to keeping us safe. With each stage of our physical growth, we
take on more and more responsibility. Two-year-olds now want to
feed themselves. Four-year-olds want to pick out their own
clothes to wear. Six-year-olds want to learn to read as well as
be read to. With each stage of development, children learn to
grow and venture out into the world. When parents do their job
correctly, their children grow into successful adulthood. Little
by little they release their parental reins. With persistent
guidance they encourage and sometimes nudge their offspring into
taking on greater roles and risks. These children move on to
establish their own lives and start their own families.
But what happens when this development is thwarted in some way?
Sometimes children refuse to let go of the reins or their
parents don't allow them to grow steadily through these stages?
Many parents shower their children with everything they want and
quell their desire to do for themselves. Parents will
often step in and defend their children instead of allowing them
to be accountable for their own actions. We, as parents, are
also notorious for giving into our kid's demands, even against
our better judgment, because of our own fears or whining. Some
parents do so much for their kids that they enable them and
interfere with path to adulthood.
When we don't allow our children to progress through the various
stages of maturity by weaning them from our direct influence, we
may be actually crippling them for live. Thus is the state of
many children
today. The reality is that our children are afraid to step out
unto the unknown because they never developed the life skills
they needed while growing up. Instead they want to rely on Mom
or Dad to continue to meet their needs when they should be old
enough to do for themselves.
Our spiritual walk with God is no different. Yet unlike us, God
is the perfect parent. He knows exactly what we need, when we
need it. He's not deterred by our crying and begging. We can ask
all day long for something that He's already said "no" to, and
He's not eventually going to give in. Instead of God changing,
He requires us to change. Instead of God adapting our wants, we
must adapt to His will.
When we became born-again as newborn babies in Christ, He
nurtured and protected us. God's love, peace, joy, and presence
bubbled over from our lives into the lives of others. Our
simplest prayers were answered like, "God please give that
parking space." Our every need was met almost miraculously. We
thoroughly believed that knowing and serving God was the best
decision we had ever made. God literally was our refugee and our
strength. Momentarily we lived in a time of bliss. As babies in
the kingdom of heaven, God protected and isolated us from the
harmful effects of sin and the world and our every need was met.
But just as we must grow-up physically, we must also grow up
spiritually. As time progressed, it appeared that God would do
less and require us to do more. Jesus told the disciples in Luke
14:27 and 9:23 to pick up your (own) cross and follow Him. He
commands us to "put on the whole armor of God and to use the
sword of the spirit to fight our enemy (Ephesians 6). He tells
us that greater works we will do in "His Name." In the book of
John chapter 5 verse 8, Jesus told the man that laid for years
by the pool of Bethesda, its now time for you to "pick up your
mat and walk!" David fought Goliath with his own sling and rock
but in the courage, faith, and power of God.
I can remember on many occasions telling God "I don't want to
fight. I can't fight. It's too hard. God you do it, please help
me, and if you don't do something fast I just can't go on. I'm
going to fall apart." But effective parents don't keep their
children dependent on them. Successful parenting equips us and
gives us the tools we need to do for ourselves and be
successful. 2 Peter 1:3 declares that "God has given us
everything we need to live a godly life." He's given us His
Word, the Holy Spirit, and the powerful of His Name. A "Name"
that is above every name. In his "Name" (the name of Jesus), we
can cast out devils and have power over the enemy. In his
"Name", we can ask for whatever we want according to his will
and it will be give unto us. In his "Name" we can heal the sick.
And in his "Name" we can move mountains.
God never forsakes us. He never leaves us alone. But because
we've been conditioned to get what we want, when we want it,
when God doesn't answer our prayers immediately or at all, we
think we've been abandoned or God is mad at us. Instead, he
begins to push us out of the nest as a mother bird does her
babies. She knows that if she allows that baby bird to stay in
the nest too long, it will never know that it can fly on its
own. It will never know all that nature has equipped it with to
flourish and succeed apart from its mother.
Of course God wants us to rely on him. But why run to Daddy God
when he's given you the power and authority to do it yourself.
Run to God for the things you "can't" do or accomplish on your
own. Otherwise, use all the resources that God has given you.
Ask Him for the wisdom that you need. Speak in the authority of
his word over your circumstances. Stand in the faith He has
given you. He's your cosigner. He's your back up. He's your
guide and strength. God doesn't want us to be so dependent on
Him for everything that we refuse to act. How many people do you
know just waiting on God to do this or that? Instead, He wants
our dependence to be in the power of his Name and the authority
of his Word.
So many Christians are afraid to act. They are spiritually
disabled. They're afraid to take risk and step out of their
comfort zone. Jesus told his disciples, don't worry about what
you're going to say when you stand in front of the magistrates.
The Holy Spirit will tell you what you need to say when you need
to say it. God doesn't need to equip us with his power until
were ready to use it. It's a step of faith to believe that God
will provide the provisions we need, when we need them. It's not
until we step out in faith that we need the "move of God" in
that situation. There are many instances in scripture where "the
spirit of God came upon" certain individuals as they stepped out
into the will of God. As we mature in Christ and step out in
faith, we will see a greater manifestation of his power in our
lives. God will begin to work through us to accomplish His will
and fulfill our dreams or endeavors.
In the book of Genesis 3:1, as the serpent deceived Eve, he said
to her "Did God really say that if you eat from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil that you will surely die?" Our enemy
uses this same line on us day after day as he challenges every
principle of God's word and prohibits us from ever moving out of
the baby stage and stepping out into our true calling as a
representative of Christ, who can bring wonderful changes in our
world. Yes, "God really did say it. Will you believe it and act
accordingly by getting out of that wheelchair and start to walk?
For we can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives us
strength!
Rhonda Jones is the author of a series of Christian
meditation and relaxation cds that encourages listeners to
relax, spend more quality time with God, and learn to live more
consciously and in the present.
Please visit her website at
http://www.thechristianmeditator.com.
