What do you do when you feel

 like God has let you down?

 

I recently listened to a sermon on this topic and as it struck close to home, I listened intently, with open ears and an open heart, wanting to know what to do, where to go, how to deal with it and how to learn from it.

First, I just want to say, just because it feels like God has let you down, doesn’t mean he has. Feelings are not the best thing to go by. Feelings are fickle and everchanging. They are not very reliable.

It often feels as though God has let us down, despite doing what we think is right, walking with him, obeying him, loving him and seeking after him. We do what we think is right and despite our best efforts, we just don’t seem to get the answers we seek and the outcomes we long for.

I want to encourage you that although the way may seem dark and the path hard to follow and full of obstacles that don’t seem to belong there, God is still working. He is still good, and he still keeps his promises.

There have been many times in the past few months that I’ve felt like God has let me down. I was faithful, I was trusting, I was obeying and yet the obstacles were still there. The walls were not being broken down. The blessings were not abounding, and frustration and desperation began to set in.

When the government stepped in, and our business was taken away….

Psalm 118:6 - The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

When I became worried about losing material possessions……………

Hebrews 13:5 - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

When my anxiety and fear threatened to overwhelm me……….

1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

When my thoughts began to control me………..

2 Timothy 1:7 - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

When my patience was wearing thin and waiting was hard…………..

Psalm 27:14 - Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Are you beginning to see a pattern here? And these verses are barely scratching the surface of the precious promises found in the Word.

At times, we feel as though God is not listening to our cries and he’s turning a deaf ear to our pleas.

We struggle to make sense of the pain and we feel deserted and let down. Abandoned and alone. But God is still at work.

If you’re not dead, then God is not done!

In the sermon I was listening to, there were 4 points made that I felt worth sharing.

What do you do when you feel God has let you down?

1.    HOLD UP – Stop. Take a deep breath. Don’t jump to conclusions. Don’t start doubting God and don’t try to work out the end of the story, when you don’t hold the pen. Remind yourself that it doesn’t end here. God is still working.

2.    SPEAK UP – Take a moment to speak up. Speak to the Lord. Be honest with him about how you feel. Pour your heart out to him and let him hear from your lips, just what it is you are dealing with and how you feel let down. Let the tears flow. He holds them all and your tears won’t scare him away. God gave you emotions and he understands. Open your mouth, speak up and pray to him.

3.    KEEP IT UP – Keep going. Keep trusting. Keep obeying. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. You feel let down, but don’t let it cause you to give up on God. Hold onto his promises and remember that he loves you and cares for you more than anyone else in the world. No matter how hard it is to go on, just keep putting one foot in front of the other, trusting God to show you the way. And when you’re not sure, step out in faith, expecting there to be something solid there underneath.

4.    LOOK UP – Look up to God. Don’t doubt. Keep looking up. God is up to something good. God promises good to his children. Keep your eyes on God. When everything is crumbling around you, keep your focus on him and he will keep you safe. He will provide. He will protect.

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

 

Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 

HOLD UP.   SPEAK UP.   KEEP IT UP.   LOOK UP.

 

I was so encouraged by these thoughts but also convicted that I needed to work harder at trusting, even when it felt like God had let me down.

 

God does choose to ‘let us down’ at times, but it is for our good. He needs us to go through certain trials to test our faith and work growth in our lives. God knows exactly what we need to go through in order to mold us more into his image.

 

I think in the world we live in today, in the turmoil that surrounds us on a daily basis, there are a lot of people that feel that God has let them down. There’s loss. There’s grief. There’s financial difficulty. There’s uncertainty. And it seems no amount of prayer makes a difference.

 

But God is still working. He is still holding the believer in his protective hand. He knows exactly where you’re at and he knows just how much pressure you can bear.

 

Our job is to stay faithful. To keep on trusting. To keep on walking and waiting on the Lord.

 

Don’t doubt in the dark, what you know in the light!

 

When things are going well and you know without a shadow of a doubt, that God is good and he loves you, remind yourself of this when the lights go out and you’re fumbling in the dark. God is still God, and he hasn’t changed. What you know about him in the light, is still true about him in the dark.

 

Our dark times are used for developing. God allows these times in our lives to develop us, to mature us, to make us more like Him. He wants us to grow and to learn through the trials He brings in our lives. He wants us to draw closer to Him and dig into His Word and hold fast to the promises we find there.

Time spent in the dark need not be wasted time. Time in the dark can be a time of growth and spiritual renewal. Seeds of doubt can be replaced with seeds of confidence.  Confidence that God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised. 

So, if you’re feeling let down by God, Stop! Take a few deep breaths, pour you heart out to him, keep trusting and keep your eyes focused on him. He will bring you through.

The Bible tells us that he will walk with us. He will be beside us all the way. No matter how dark it gets, God is there.

Psalm 23:4 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 

Isaiah 43:2 - When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Isaiah 26:3 - Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Praising God in Prayer?

 

Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 

Luke 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

Have you ever stopped to think about how much time you spend in prayer, just praising God? How often do you take the time, before praying about anything else, to praise and worship God, the creator of the universe, the Saviour of your soul?

It is often thought that confession should come first as sin makes our prayers ineffective. Yes, sin does rob prayer of its power, but were it not for our great, merciful and loving God, our confession would mean very little. 

When the disciples asked the Lord Jesus to teach them to pray, the first thing he said was, “When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

The Greek word for hallowed is hagiazo which means “to revere or to sanctify”, “to be set apart”, “sacred, holy”. So, we are to praise God's name in our prayers because He is sacred, holy, set apart. His name is worthy. He is worthy.

The Lord Jesus was stressing to His disciples the importance of spending time praising God and worshipping Him, before anything else.

When we spend time praising God, we take the focus off ourselves and place it on Him. In prayer, God is pleased when we first draw attention to Him, before drawing attention to ourselves. Praising God at the beginning of our prayers puts God in His rightful position right from the start. When we praise God, we declare His sovereignty and we recognise His awesome power and His divine nature.

When we take time to praise God first in our prayers, we begin to see God for who He really is, and it is to this all-powerful God that we will be presenting our petitions. It changes our focus.

We read in the Bible how all creation sings God's praises. I often think that if God's soulless creation sings His praises, then why is it that we, as humans and created beings, made in God's own image, the very ones He came down to this earth for die for, are so slow to praise?

Revelation 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Isaiah 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

I find it amazing that not only the creatures on and under the earth praise God, but also the mountains and the hills and the trees!

In praising God in our prayers, we are setting aside time to worship at Jesus' feet. We are acknowledging that God is the giver of all things and that He is worthy of honour.

The Bible tells us that those who offer praise, glorify Him.

Psalms 50:23b Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me:

We are told to praise God in many of the Psalms.

Psalms 150:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary:

praise him in the firmament of his power.

Psalms 150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Psalms 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

The Psalmist and King David knew something about trials and hardships, but he also knew a whole lot about praise and worship. He knew exactly who deserved honour and who it was that was his deliverer. He knew that God and God alone was worthy of worship, for God is holy.

Psalms 99:3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.

Psalms 99:5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool;

for he is holy.

Psalms 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill;

for the LORD our God is holy.

You don't have to read very far in the Bible to see the importance of praising God. There are countless verses on the subject, and I don't believe it's an accident that they're there.

We know that God is holy and worthy of our worship but putting it into practice in our prayers is not always easy. We get so caught up with wanting to make sure we remember all the requests we have and the very 'important' petitions, that we forget to take time to praise God first.

Just take a look at your prayer list if you don't believe me. I'm guilty of this too. How often do we actually, physically list items of praise? I'm beginning to think it might be a good idea to take the time to sit and write down a list of God's names that we read in the Bible, to be a reminder to us of who He is and what we should praise Him for.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

We should be continually praising Him for who he is, for His righteousness, for His creation, and for His great sacrifice in giving His life for us.

Praising God is not just something we do when we sing songs of worship on a Sunday morning. It should be something we do on a daily basis, in our prayers, as we go about our day, as we talk to others. It should become as natural as breathing.

“Praise is the vocal adoration of God”

 

 

Start Loving the Life You’ve Been Given

 

John 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Sometimes in life, circumstances happen that turn our lives on their heads and all our plans are thrown into disarray. We hit a bump in the road that sends us off the course we had planned. Our dreams are shattered. Unexpected things happen and before we know it, we wake up one day, realizing that this is not the life we planned and not the life we wanted.

And suddenly, our joy is gone. Our happiness has been stolen away and we are left feeling discontent, disgruntled, joyless, and downright miserable.

But did you know that this is NOT God’s plan? It’s not in God’s plan for you to live a defeated life. It’s not in his plan to see you joyless, going through the motions, day after day, with no spring in your step, no song in your heart and no praise on your lips.

Maybe you’ve experienced something recently that has thrown you off kilter, through heartbreak, illness or loss. Maybe a life-threatening diagnosis has you paralysed with fear. Or maybe it’s just the normal day-to-day humdrum life you lead, where every day is the same and you just feel like a hamster going round and round on his little wheel, doing a lot of walking, but not really getting anywhere.

Whatever the case, you may be thinking, there has to be more to life than this.

I’m here to tell you there is more!

The Devil wants to steal your joy and loves nothing better than to see you discouraged. The Bible tells us that he has come to steal, to kill and to destroy. He may not physically attack you, but he loves to mess with you emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

He wants to leave you doubting God. He wants you to live defeated. He wants to have you thinking wrong thoughts about God’s goodness and incorrect thoughts about yourself.

He wants you so beaten down that you are discontented with your life and feel that your happiness depends on your circumstances and living your life just how you want to live it, having your plans pan out just like you arranged them.

Of course, it’s a lie to think that if our plans go just like we want, we’ll be happy. The Devil is the Father of lies and he wants to plant that seed in your mind.

The last thing he wants is you to surrender your will and your plans to your Heavenly Father, wanting only what God has for you.  

John 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

In our verse in John 10:10, we see a big difference between the destroyer of life, the Devil, and the giver of life and joy, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our verse tells us that God has come to give us life and not only life, but life more abundant! Abundant life! Over and above your expectations. Exceeding and immeasurable.  

With the new year ahead, maybe you’re feeling discouraged and fearful of yet another year full of disappointments.

I want to remind you that although you can’t choose the life circumstances you go through, you can choose HOW you go through them. You can choose to change your attitude towards them.

You have to make the choice whether to allow people and circumstances to hold the power over your happiness, or whether you’ll choose to embrace God’s abundant life he has planned for you.

You only have one life to live and although it may not be the life you have planned and although there are twists and turns in the road that are unexpected, you have to choose to love the life you’ve been given and make the most of the God-given opportunities he brings across your path.

Loving life is a choice, and it should never be determined by your circumstances. The life you’re living today is the life God has given you, and maybe the reason it doesn’t feel like life more abundant is because of your attitude. Your life has potential to be great, but your peace, your joy, and your contentment depend on the choices you make.

Start today with a new mindset. Wake up to the reality that God’s plans are not always the same as yours, but they are always, and I mean ALWAYS, better.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

God’s plans for you are good, and he has your best interests at heart. He loves you with an everlasting love. He knows your deepest longings, he hears your cries, he knows the dreams and desires of your heart and he longs for you to live an abundant, victorious life.

But we don’t get an abundant life without some effort on our part. It doesn’t just happen automatically. We have to make a choice.

 

Your happiness depends on you!

 

And maybe, because of shift in your attitude, maybe, just maybe, this could be your best year yet!

 

Start loving the life God has given you!

 

Philippians 4:11

Not that I speak in respect of want:

 for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pray For Our Leaders

In chatting with a friend last night at our weekly prayer meeting, we were discussing the state of our present world and the crooked decisions being made by our politicians. Now, I’m really not into politics and I have never been interested in following the latest news when it comes to political things, but over the past couple of years I’ve found myself reading my fair share of news articles of a political nature through necessity rather than interest.

As we talked and prayed for the pressing needs and loved ones on our hearts, I was reminded of a verse in the Bible that I thought I’d share.

Proverbs 21:1

The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water:

 he turneth it whithersoever he will.

We know that God has total rule over men’s hearts, and a king or a president or a politician fit in that category too. This verse reminds us that those in authority are in the hand of the Lord, and he can turn their hearts to accomplish his purposes. As easily as he directs the rivers back and forth as they move toward the sea, he can move a king’s heart.

We can have faith in knowing that although things may look bad at present, and although our leaders are making poor decisions, perverting judgment and using their power to suppress the nation, God is still in control, and he can choose to alter their power and choices at any time.

Daniel 2:21

And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

God knows exactly what our leaders are doing, and he knows the choices they are making. He knows all about the pressures they are exerting, and we don’t have to worry that he might be unaware of it all. He is very aware, and he has his finger on the pulse, for want of a better phrase.

God is not just some higher being that sits up in heaven unaware and uncaring, unconcerned about his people. No! He cares and he loves, and his will is perfect. We have to remember that his ways are higher than our ways.

Although our leaders are granted power and although they often think they have complete power, God is the higher authority, and they have to answer to him, and their day will come.

Have a look at some verses in Psalm 37 if you’re still sceptical about God’s judgment on the wicked.

Psalm 37:1-2, 9, 13, 20, 38

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth

The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming

But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away

But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

Does that sound like God will let them get away with evil to you?

Knowing that God controls our authorities, and that God can turn their hearts at any time he chooses, we can trust the Lord to deliver us in his time. We have to submit to our authorities, unless their laws go against scripture, and although it’s painful and frustrating and makes absolutely no sense, we can rest secure in the knowledge that although God directs and moves in mysterious ways and we don’t understand it, we can trust him. We can trust what we know of his character, and we can rest in the promises in his word.

God promises deliverance to his people. He will not fail the righteous.

Psalm 37:3, 5, 7, 39-40  Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass

 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass

 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

So, while we’re waiting for God to turn the hearts of our leaders or bring judgment upon them, what do we do in the meantime?

We pray. We pray for our leaders and the God-given authorities over us.

I have often heard people say that we need to pray for our leaders, but I have never prayed as often and as sincerely for them as I do now. With our world turning upside down and fear living in the hearts of every person, it seems now is the time to get serious about praying for God to turn the hearts of the powerful and the wicked.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

We are exhorted in the book of 1 Timothy, to pray for our leaders. We are told to pray for them and intercede on their behalf and even give thanks for them! Yes, that last one is a lot harder to do. But did you see that it says that praying for them is ‘good and acceptable in the sight of God’?

We may feel like praying for our leaders is a waste of time, but God hears our prayers, and he knows our hearts and time spent in prayer is never wasted. He knows the troubles we face, and he knows just how much pressure we can handle and what lessons he wants us to learn through our trials.

Not only can God change the hearts of the wicked, but he can change the hearts of the righteous too. If you are feeling anger and hatred against the rulers of iniquity right now, however just it seems, God can change your heart too. God wants us to show love to others and it’s hard to shine his light around a darkened world when we are angry, hurting and fearful.

We need to ask God to purify our hearts and clean us from the inside out. We need him to throw out the anger and the fear and replace it with faith and trust and love. We need the right spirit and the right attitude. Pray the prayer found in Psalms and ask God to do a work in your heart.

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Don’t forget that the trials you face, God has allowed. God is loving, yes. But God is righteous and holy and knows what’s best for you.

Although our leaders are corrupt and we find ourselves having to submit to them, God controls their decisions, and he can turn their hearts at any time, and we can trust in our Heavenly Father, resting in his arms, knowing that they can’t touch us without his permission.

Psalm 105:14-15

He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

If God can turn the heart of Pharaoh to Joseph, Saul to David, Nebuchadnezzar to Jeremiah, Darius to Daniel, then he can do it in our day and with our leaders.

If he can soften your sinful heart to turn to him and place your faith and trust in him, then he can turn the hearts of others, no matter their status.

Although we may despair at the stubbornness and hardness of man’s hearts, God is still in the business of changing hearts and doing a transforming work in seemingly impossible situations.

Our job is to trust. To be faithful. To obey. To pray. To love and to bring God all the glory.

Don’t spend your days in worry. God’s got this!

 

Proverbs 21:1

The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water:

 he turneth it whithersoever he will.