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Have you ever been there, I know I have? You are struggling with something, and it seems like God is nowhere to be found.
What do you do? Do you throw up your hands, curse God, and make your way? Or do you sink into depression and despair because you are fighting a losing battle?
I can honestly say that I have never thrown up my hands and cursed God, but I have sunk into depression and despair—as I am sure you know, it isn’t fun.
But realistically, what do you do?
Before I answer that, it is important to know what situations like that do. Situations like that reveal your heart.
For example, if you throw up your hands and curse God in your heart, you do not believe God will take care of you.
When you sink into depression or despair in your heart, you doubt God’s ability to take care of you.
Three things identify the life of a Christ-follower.
1—faith
2—knowledge
3—trust
The walk of a Christ-follower is a walk of faith. You have never seen God. You have seen pictures of Jesus, but you have never seen God.
And yet, you committed to follow him.
That is faith.
The Word of God
FAITH
For we live by faith, not by sight.
II Corinthians 5:7 New International Version
Our hearts, not our eyes, are the determining factor in the walk of a Christ-follower.
The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.
Hebrews 11:1 The Message
Faith is the foundation of a Christ-follower walk.
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
Romans 3:22 New Living Translation
It is faith that enabled us to profess Jesus as our savior.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, which is heard through the word about Christ.
Romans 10:17 New International Version
Faith grows as we maintain a steady diet of the Word of God.
KNOWLEDGE
They couldn’t take their eyes off them – Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of Jesus,
Acts 4:13 The Message
Peter and John could be confident because they knew Jesus by spending time with him.
Your confidence grows as you spend time with Jesus, getting to know him.
For in him, you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—
I Corinthians 1:5 New International Version
Spending time with the Lord enriches your life in every way.
TRUST
So what exactly was Moses saying? The word that saves is right here, as near as the tongue in your mouth, as close as the heart in your chest.
Say the welcoming word to God – “Jesus is my Master” – embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not “doing” anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation.
Romans 10:8-9 The Message
Salvation comes because you act on faith, which allows you to trust the Lord.
God reminds us, I heard your call in the nick of time; The day you needed me, I was there to help.
Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we’re doing.
Our work as God’s servants gets validated – or not – in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times;
when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating;
with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love;
when we’re telling the truth, and when God’s showing his power; when we’re doing our best setting things right;
when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted;
ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die;
immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.
II Corinthians 6:2-10 The Message
The Apostle Paul knew about hardship. He learned about the Godhead by spending time with righteous people. He grew hungry for more and began digging deeper into the Word of God.
The more he learned, the more he trusted in the Lord. This trust led to a life of hardship. Not every Christ-follower will walk as tricky a road as the Apostle Paul, but you will undoubtedly walk a challenging path because following Christ is not a walk in the park.
So, what do you do when it seems God is not there?
You are determined to press into His Word and spend time with him through prayer and hanging out.
You surround yourself (as much as possible) with those on the same journey and avoid those who are not—at least initially.
You learn the Word of God by living it and not just quoting it.
A close personal relationship with the Godhead provides you a living hope. It is a living anticipation full of expectation of something good happening.
A close personal relationship with the Godhead is a journey. I invite you to follow along. As I learn, I will pass it along so you, too, can learn. I hope that as you learn, you can pass it along so that I (and others) might learn.
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