Where is God When I Need Him?

It's been quite awhile since I can honestly say I have been inspired by God to write a post that I felt is something that needed to be told. Funny thing was that this topic was inspired by a conversation I had this morning with my daughter. We were speaking about how people can be so endowed with their God-given faith and then fall up short for some reason.

The conversation was based around spiritual warfare and how some people can wage war against evil and not have come to God before heading to battle, even though they may be called to that purpose. I explained that it is possible to step out and think you're doing God's will because it may be the purpose your life has been designed around but to leave God behind in the process.

Too often I feel that we pray to God for an answer to a prayer we so desperately need to be answered and when it doesn't come, we feel God left us hanging. What we may in fact fail to see is God just simply didn't answer it the way you might have desired, but God never left you hanging.

I think too often as children of faith, we feel a sense of entitlement that because we are God's children, He owes us those answers to prayer we need. What we fail to understand is God knows what we need and what is best for us. I explained it to my daughter this way, as a parent I only want what is best for you and even though I want nothing more than to give you whatever it is you ask for, sometimes it's not what you need. For example, lets say you want another pair of shoes but you really don't need them and even though you may beg and plead for those shoes, I don't give them to you. Not because you don't deserve them, not because I don't love you, not because you are a child of mine, but because I see a bigger need for you to be addressed even though you can't.

So you think I didn't answer your prayer. You think I failed you. You think I don't love you and in fact, you must have done something wrong so maybe I am punishing you. So now you turn the other direction and simply stop asking me for anything.

It's funny when we can view things quite simply from a parent/child perspective and not from a human/God perspective, yet it is the same.

God perhaps didn't answer your prayer because it wasn't what you really needed, in fact perhaps He had something else in mind. Too often our expectations of God are that He will always answer us in the way we expect, but when that doesn't happen, we think God abandoned us. Now we are like spoiled children, turning our backs on God and walking away.

God doesn't owe us explanations or answers for anything He does. We will never have the answers to the question, "Why, God, why?" In some cases I think the answer to that would be beyond our comprehension to understand His reasoning, so we are not told. Yet one day, we will know the answers to all those times we cried out for help and didn't receive it like we wanted. I do know this, God loves us more than we could ever imagine. He never fails us. NEVER!

So when bad things happen, when you cry out to Him and He doesn't answer like you think He should, accept it. He has answered. You can ask for an explanation but it may not come. This is life in a sin-filled world. Choice are made every single day by Christians and non-Christians alike, and sometimes those choices will affect us in life-changing ways, however don't be bitter or angry at God. Ask Him to help you deal with your emotions and feelings.

Instead of running away from Him, run to Him. God will NEVER forsake you. Even if faced with a life and death situation and you cry out for His help and He doesn't answer in the manner you wanted, He still has answered. He has kept you safe, but you may still have to endure the battle and the injuries. Hold on to this scripture when hard times come...

A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.

Isaiah 42:3-4

God will bring you through your battles in this world, but whatever you do, do not go into the darkness unarmed and without Him by your side. He may keep you from harm but it's not worth the price.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. " ~ Ephesians 6:10-13