“God, are you there?”
This is a question I have been pleading to the Lord in the last few days, months, and seemingly years. Most days, I am certain he is. Other days, I’m not sure where he is. The interesting thing about being away from home is that you realize no matter how far you might be, you never truly leave it.
Home seems far at the moment, especially with what the state of the world is in as news keeps flooding in of war, refugees and the fight for freedom. I know if I was home I would be playing political ping pong with my friends and family; confident that we have better answers for justice and the strategies of international war chess games than the current leader of the free world. (BIG politics family, pray for my squadmates as my American blood runs hot and strong and they have to hear about it.)
The Lord is omnipresent, yet seemingly no where near the places that need him the most at this moment. Between the atrocities in Afghanistan, the current Russian invasion of Ukraine, the rise of human trafficking across the globe, and the everlasting fight for morality in our own backyard- it all makes me wonder what the Lord is doing.
The recent years have made me realize why faith is set as a spiritual gift. If it were up to us, we wouldn’t get one foot out of the door in our ‘walks of faith’. We simply cannot grow our faith on our own in a world that thrives off hopelessness. Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance of what we cannot see.
It’s truly a gift we have anything to hope for in the first place, but assurance in things unseen is quite the enigma.
One thing that is exceedingly clear is that God’s promises are what we can be assured of. They are full-proof, even if they require an impossibly long waiting period. A tough reality to those of us who have a strong inclination to see swift justice and are wanting peace in the now.
As I continually wrestled with God about certain unnecessary cruelties of this world, my friend recently reminded me of something I suppose I had forgotten in my trials of understanding God:
The Lord is quite literally found in the midst of hopelessness and desperation.
When hopelessness seems to rattle us mere humans, Christ provides an unshakeable stability in which we can finally rest. In my imperfect nature, my first suggestion tends to always be that the Lord has simply forgotten his people.
Conveniently, I am currently going through a study of the Minor Prophets and Habakkuk is one I haven’t been able to get out of due to a surprisingly similar dialogue with the Lord.
If you’re not familiar with Habakkuk- the book is literally him pleading in beautifully written laments to hear from God; who, at this time in history, was supposedly silent towards his people (crazy how that lined up, right?) His plea reads:
“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.”
God replies:
“Look at the nations and watch- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”
and also with
“See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright- but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness.”
Obviously, our reality is different than Habakkuk’s while he was conversing with God. Our reality is Jesus. He is our greatest hope and the cross is the most unimaginable fulfilled promise we could have. However, reading these words have been an encouragement that God has always been and will always be sovereign. He is always doing things we could not possibly believe.
Death is greedy and forever unsatisfied in its pursuit. However, don’t fall for the lie that it’s the most powerful force within this lifetime. Jesus made death whine and wimper until he squashed it like the pesky bug that it is. And while death believes it still has a hold on things, there are currently voices of God’s people worshipping in subway-turned-bomb-shelters in Ukraine and throughout secret churches in the homes of Afghan natives.
The righteous person will not live by justice, not by answers, nor strength, wisdom, or political ping pong. He lives by his faithfulness. Which is evidently seen in today’s world as some of the fastest growing moves of faith on planet earth take part in the areas the people believe God ISN’T working (a humbling fact for myself).
Instead of buying into a lie that God is far removed from problems of this world; let’s live by the truth that God turns every terrible occurence in this world and uses it for good- the greatest being the eternal salvation of souls and knowing Christ while we walk this earth. My wrestling with the Lord is certainly not over as I have my lifetime left and he made me especially nosey to the workings of his mind. Nevertheless, let the inevitable wrestling draw us near to God before we crush under the weight of problem-solving that which is only meant for God.
Pray that God builds faith through these wars, refugees, and fight for freedoms and praise him that in a world that supplies an onslaught of hopeless situation, Jesus has given us an abundance of hope that goes before us and comforts us always.
This got me teary eyed, as I resonated with so often looking at the overwhelming suffering and pain and evil in the world right now. Just today the sermon was over exodus 2 and when God feels far away. The quote from John Piper
This got me teary eyed, as I resonated with so often looking at the overwhelming suffering and pain and evil in the world right now. Just today the sermon was over exodus 2 and when God feels far away. The quote from John Piper “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life and you may only be aware of three of them” was brought up and it resonated with this blog! This blog just affirmed what I heard today in church about God is present and working even as we don’t necessarily feel and see him. In exodus 2 God’s name isn’t mentioned once yet His working and fingerprint are all over it! Love your honesty and this post!
Hello Amanda! I love the way you are wrestling with the Lord and what the Word says. I can tell your mind runs deep. I agree lets not buy into the lie that God is far removed from the problems of the world, for HE is surely closer than our next breath. He wants only good for His people, and yes, “He turns all things for good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). One thing that might be food for thought is that God works through people, He has given us a gift of free will, we get to choose. There are many people that make wrong choices. I have always been in awe of Him that even though many people make wrong choices, He is still the victorious One. I’m so thankful for Jesus! We love you Amanda and can’t wait to see you in El Salvador.
Amanda there are no words to tell you how proud your Pa and I are so proud of you and your work to bring the word of God to so many.
These are very hard times around the world and our only hope in God. We may not always feel his presence but he never leaves us.
We love you, Pa & Me Ma