My brain has been so preoccupied since my husband started working again that my posting deadline for Get Real with God snuck up on me! And as I sit and rack my brain trying to think of something encouraging and intelligent to write to you God-fearing, family-loving women, the Lord, in His infinite wisdom doesn’t give me an original idea, but instead reminds of something. My husband wrote an amazing post on his blog recently, and it was his blog post that convicted me and encouraged me. So today I want to share that with you!
Did you hear?
Yesterday I did some praying on the way to work and later in the day talked to a friend about the favor of the Lord. We talked about having the favor of the Lord because of some of the good things that were happening in such a short time on this new job. By the end of the day, as I walked through the skyway to my parking spot, I realized that the absence of favor from the Lord is what most would consider being a mini-picture of hell.
When people pray to the Lord, they want to be heard. Moreover, they want the Lord to respond to their prayers and they do NOT want to be ignored. Even still, they want the Lord to respond positively... versus negatively. The ideas of hell and what it is like vary a bit, but one thing is constant: Absence of God. People crying out in anguish and calling out to God, but He does not answer, does not 'hear,' does not respond...
I thought about the last year or so, I lived where the favor of the Lord (at least how it is often thought of) has been absent. I thought of the times where I prayed and sought to get God to respond to some of the things others did to me or my family. Even my prayers for a little favor to just get moving in a new direction seemed to be unanswered. I said to the Lord, "This must be a small picture of what Hell is like... It is when we call out to You and You do not answer, ignore our words, or hear them but respond negatively?"
Distinctly... clearly... my statement and question was answered by the Lord when He said, "What is it then, when I call out to you and you do not answer, ignore, or respond negatively? Hong long have I been calling on people to respond to My Words through time?
My life has been changed once more... this morning is a new morning. It is why I am drawn to Him.
It’s so easy to rationalize why we don’t listen the Father. “Oh I was too busy, oh I’m taking care of these children you gave me, oh I’m so tired.” And even if we don’t have excuses we just simply ignore what we know that Lord has asked of us especially in regards to our families. I know of many, many people, who were following the Lord, but lost their way when their prayers weren’t answered. In essence they walked away from the Lord because He didn’t respond to them.
I am deeply grateful that the Lord doesn’t walk away from me (and you) when I ignore Him. Instead He waits, and His Spirit gently nudges me in the right direction, taps me on the shoulder, whispers in my ear, “Daughter? Where are you going? Are you doing what I asked you to do?”
Women of God, do not lose your way because you aren’t listening and obeying. Do not ignore what the Lord is telling you to do. Stay close to the Father, even when He doesn’t answer or you can’t hear. That is living your Faith.
My prayer for you, borrowed from Paul:
“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory!” Ephesians 3:14-21
Because He lives,
2 comments:
I cannot thank you enough for this post. It's like you and your husband wrote it for me.
Thank you. The Lord really worked through you both in posting this.
Love those Scripture verses. When I read those in my Bible I often pray them for myself and my family. Thank you for a great post!
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