When God Seems Distant- Day 14
For those of you who are clsoe to me, or have even those who arent you probably have noticed i go through periods of high's and lows as far as my faith is concerned. Those who were in my Real Life group definatly know that to be true. The reading today was on praising God even when we dont feel him. Ouch, that one hit home because I remember when I get mad and am being a brat about soemthing I dont like I say... "I don't feel like it" and thats that. But the reading today really hit because even though I dont feel him in my life he is always there. Here are some points form the chapter.
"The Lord has hidden himself from his people but I trust him and plave my hope in him."- Isaiah 8:17
"God is real, no matter how you feel."
"The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting him when tempted, surrendering while suffering, and loving him when he seems distant."
"To mature your friendship, God will test it with periods of "seeming" seperation - times when it feels as if he has abandoned or forgotten you....."The dark night of the soul"- spiritual dryness, doubt, and estrangement"
"I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you"
"EVERY Christian goes though it at least once, usually several times. "
"The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seekng God."
"God is more concerned that you TRUST him rather than FEEL him. Faith, not feelings, pleases God."
"THen he fell to the ground in worship and said "Naked I came form my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. THe Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."
"Pour out your heart to God. Unload every emotion that you're feeling."
"God can handle your doubt, anger, fear, grief, confusion, and questions."
"Remind yourself what you know to be eternally true about God: He is good, he loves me, he is with me, he knows what I'm going through, he cares, and he has a good plan for my life."
"Never doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light."
"God's grace is still in full force; he is still for you, even when you don't feel it."
"When you feel abandoned yet continue to trust him in spite of your feelings, you worship him in the deepest way.
"If God never did anything else for you, he would still deserve your continual praise fro the rest of your life becaseu of what Jesus did for you on the cross. God's Son died for you!"
Man. I lvoe this book and it just keeps answering the little questions I have in my head. It scares me though, am I strong enough to handle the spiritual drought? I have felt it before and right now I feel him in my life every move I make I know he is there, but I dont want to feel like he isnt. It hurts when he isnt there, maybe I am not spiritually mature enough. But even so I pray God gives me the grace to praise him in tiems when it hurts to talkt o him becasue I am to angry with him.
"The Lord gave and the Lord had taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised."
"The Lord has hidden himself from his people but I trust him and plave my hope in him."- Isaiah 8:17
"God is real, no matter how you feel."
"The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting him when tempted, surrendering while suffering, and loving him when he seems distant."
"To mature your friendship, God will test it with periods of "seeming" seperation - times when it feels as if he has abandoned or forgotten you....."The dark night of the soul"- spiritual dryness, doubt, and estrangement"
"I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you"
"EVERY Christian goes though it at least once, usually several times. "
"The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seekng God."
"God is more concerned that you TRUST him rather than FEEL him. Faith, not feelings, pleases God."
"THen he fell to the ground in worship and said "Naked I came form my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. THe Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."
"Pour out your heart to God. Unload every emotion that you're feeling."
"God can handle your doubt, anger, fear, grief, confusion, and questions."
"Remind yourself what you know to be eternally true about God: He is good, he loves me, he is with me, he knows what I'm going through, he cares, and he has a good plan for my life."
"Never doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light."
"God's grace is still in full force; he is still for you, even when you don't feel it."
"When you feel abandoned yet continue to trust him in spite of your feelings, you worship him in the deepest way.
"If God never did anything else for you, he would still deserve your continual praise fro the rest of your life becaseu of what Jesus did for you on the cross. God's Son died for you!"
Man. I lvoe this book and it just keeps answering the little questions I have in my head. It scares me though, am I strong enough to handle the spiritual drought? I have felt it before and right now I feel him in my life every move I make I know he is there, but I dont want to feel like he isnt. It hurts when he isnt there, maybe I am not spiritually mature enough. But even so I pray God gives me the grace to praise him in tiems when it hurts to talkt o him becasue I am to angry with him.
"The Lord gave and the Lord had taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised."