Christian Foundations

E-Mail Newsletters

  • Study in My BST
  • Email
  • Print

January 31

When God Seems Far Away

Psalms 10:1
Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?

One of the great mysteries of God is His ways. Some of His ways almost appear to bring us into the most difficult places, as if He were indifferent to our circumstances. It would appear that He is turning His head from our sorrows. These events in our lives have a particular objective to perform for us. That objective is to bring us to the end of ourselves that we might discover the treasure of darkness. "Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness" (Job 30:26).

When we are taken into these dark periods, we begin to see light that we never knew existed. Our sensitivities become heightened and our ability to see through spiritual eyes is illuminated. Unless we are taken into these times, our souls never develop any depth of character. We do not gain wisdom, only knowledge. Knowledge is gained through understanding; wisdom is gained through the experience of darkness.

After we go through these periods, we discover that God was, in fact, with us throughout the entire time. It does not feel or appear that He is there when we are in the midst of the dark periods. However, He is there walking with us. He has told us countless times that He will never leave us. However, when we are in those dark periods, it does not feel like He is there because He does not rescue us from the circumstances. He does this for our benefit in order that we might become more like Jesus. Jesus learned obedience from the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). What does that say about how you and I will learn obedience? Embrace the dark times and gain the wisdom that God intends for you from these times.


The Call
The Call by Os Guinness
"What is the purpose of my life?" We all long for an answer to that question. In this deeply personal book, Oxford scholar Os Guinness explores God's call as the ultimate "why" of living. He examines the concept of "calling," shares his personal experience, and challenges you to a life focused on finding and fulfilling the central purpose for your life. Order or Learn More
Most Recent User Comments
Be the first to comment on this article!
Sign up to post your comments

It's quick and easy to register with Christianity.com! Just fill out the short form below. You'll have the oppurtunity to post comments, and be more involved in our community and forums. Plus, with this one account, you can sign in anywhere in our network of sites displaying the Salem All-Pass logo, including Oneplace.com, Christianity.com, Lightsource.com, Crosscards.com, and more!

Subscriber Login
Username
Password
Salem Web Network All-Pass: One account that can be used to log onto any page that displays this logo

Salem All-Pass: With one account, you can sign in on any site that displays the Salem All-Pass logo.


SPONSOR

Advertise with Us