Seeking God in the Darkness

 God sees your suffering and your distress, and it distresses Him. He wants to comfort you.

God sees your need and wants to help you.

God sees you being overwhelmed by the expectations of your family, your employer or your church, and he wants to give you new strength and wisdom. Not all of the duties that are imposed on you are from God.

You silently cry out in your heart, "Where is God?" But God is there, and He wants to open the eyes of your heart so that you can see His love.

Can you hear the silent voice of God?

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Rev 3:20 NIV

You are told to read your Bible, but the letters are cold and dead to you. God wants to awaken your spirit.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Mt 7:7–11 NIV

Please don't give up. God's heart beats for you. Is God hidden from you? If God is hidden, it is not so that you won't find him, but so that you will seek him and find him.

God has Better Plans

 Are you discouraged? Disappointed? Frightened?
Are you completely dejected?

Before the Last Supper, the apostles were disappointed and deeply shaken.

But how was that possible? They were Jesus' closest friends. They believed he was the Son of God, their Saviour and Redeemer. He was with them in the flesh. And they were dismayed?

A few days ago, Jesus had arrived in Jerusalem. The crowds had recognised him as the Messiah with jubilation.

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Mt 21:9 NIV

The Jews, and probably also the apostles, expected that Jesus as the Messiah would then establish the kingdom of God in Jerusalem, that Jesus would rule the world.

But Jesus did not do this. Everyone was disappointed. The religious leaders were now able to manipulate the disappointed Jews.

Instead of the expected triumph, the disciples were staring disaster in the face.

What did Jesus say?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. Jn 14:1 NIV

You expected a great revival, prayed for it for years, heard wonderful prophecies.

Nevertheless, the corona catastrophe came. Then came the war in Ukraine, and another war in the Middle East.

Where is God? You no longer understand anything.

What does Jesus say now?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. Jn 14:1 NIV

You were expecting something wonderful from God. You have waited a long time for it and now you are shaken.

My father was 70 years old. He had smoked 40 cigarettes a day for many years and his lungs were almost destroyed. I had prayed for him for years but there was no sign of faith. But he was plagued by emphysema. That's a death sentence.

Then I started praying in a completely different way. ‘Please let my father live until he comes to faith.’

He made his peace with God at the age of 88. He was very weak but there was no sign of emphysema.

Finally he turned 91, he was nearly blind and life had become a burden to him.

Then I read in the Bible:

With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Ps 91:16 NIV

I thanked and praised God. I then prayed boldly.

‘Dear God, you have answered my prayer. But now life is a torment for my father. How would it be if my father could pass away peacefully exactly 16 days after his 91st birthday?

Exactly 16 days later, Jesus took my father to heaven without pain.

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Jn 14:2–3 NASB95

God has good plans for us, including you.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. Jn 14:1 NIV

Burnout. Destress with Jesus

 Are you a free person or a slave? Not only third world labourers or trafficked prostitutes are enslaved.

A manager who has no life apart from his work has no freedom. How many exhausted businessmen or doctors retire and die soon after?

There are also busy housewives who never stop doing everything for their family. Their children may be emotionally neglected because their mother is busy with domestic duties all the time.

There are also devout Christians who are enslaved by their religion.
In the Ten Commandments, we read that one day of every week should be a holy day. We need time off and rest, but there are Christians who are enslaved by Saturday or Sunday duties.

A well-known preacher built up a large church with God's help. Many Christians were blessed and countless people came to faith.

The preacher was involved in his ministry every day. He was particularly busy on Saturday and Sunday. He knew that he could not do everything in his own strength, and he prayed a lot. He refuelled himself daily and was filled with the Holy Spirit.

But not everything was all right. His wife became very unhappy, and his marriage began to falter.

He was a good Christian, and he asked for God's help. God showed him that he should have a day of rest every Monday and restore his relationship with his wife.

A few years ago, I worked as a language teacher and was also active in the church. I went to church twice every Sunday. I drove a minibus on Sunday mornings and I sometimes preached in the evening.

But my father was very old and I only visited him once a month. Then I realised that I had neglected my father.

We need balance. Even Christian discipleship can become slavery.

The Pharisees were chained to their religion, and so can we be.

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
For God said, ‘Honour your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’

But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’
they are not to ‘honour their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. Mt 15:1–6 NIV

We need balance and relaxation.

I graduated from university over 50 years ago. I was looking for a change and worked as a taxi driver for a year. We need variety and relaxation. Before the Covid pandemic, many young Europeans travelled to Australia and worked in restaurants or on wineries.

If you have a good car, you don't have to buy a new car often. Many cars stay in good condition for ten years. But a car that is used as a taxi around the clock will break down after a few years.

Many preachers are overworked in ministry, and many suffer from burnout. German culture is very duty-orientated, and many Germans suffer from burnout.

Do you feel like you're on a treadmill? Can't you escape your duties? Many suffer like this, even the few minutes of supposed free time are poisoned by worries and anxieties.

You urgently need a holiday. Your Christian conscience teaches you to pray, but where do you find the time to pray? Even prayer becomes a duty and work.

Jesus is calling you.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Mt 11:28 NASB95

Jesus can help you with your worries. He can give you insight so that you understand which supposed duties are not necessary.

When you going through life with God's love, you can often enjoy a few minutes of downtime. Instead of thinking about your worries and duties all the time, you can indulge in a sweet daydream.