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When was the last time you talked to someone and had them just lend an ear to you? What happened during that encounter? Did they sit quietly and let you get things off your chest? Did they immediately interject their thoughts and opinions before you were able to even finish what you saying? Did they give you a supportive hug that need no words to know how much they care? Or was it just in one ear and other the other for them?
It's not easy for most of us to "talk" to another person...one that you want to really confide in. However, when you do, it can be a great release. Now, I'm not talking about having someone that is a "gossip partner," no, I'm referring to one that you can tell anything to and know that it stays between the two of you no matter what. They are there in your time of need. They might offer you an encouraging word, a loving hug, cry with you or just offer that soothing cup of tea. No matter what it may be, they are there for you. Finding someone like that is not an easy task...so for those that don't have this "luxury" they may turn to God to be their confidant.
What happens though when you turn to God and pour out your heart only to find out that it seems He is not listening...or it seems He just doesn't care? When you have gone to Him time and time again, and it is all of no avail. Others it seems have a direct line to Him that grants answers almost immediately. We know they are not always immediate answers but, when you've not heard a thing from him in days, weeks, months or even years....those answers you see others receiving will most certainly feel like immediate answers. One may begin to wonder if God is really even listening to you at all. If He is, then you might wonder...does He even care?
"Keep praying and hold fast," "Don't loose faith," "In God's time..." These are common phrases that you might hear while you are feeling left out and alone by the One Who is supposed to be your everything. You feel as if you want to lash out and ask, just how long am I supposed to keep faith and go on waiting for Him do do something or to listen to me? Of course if you do voice this question, immediately you are hit with the proverbial "all things are in God's time...He hears you...as long as it takes." Yeah, ok....whatever!
Discouragement wanes over you and you really don't want to give up hope or faith but since it seems God has turned a deaf ear to you....your faith is really wearing thin. Others don't understand when you begin to loose patience, all they see from the outside is that you haven't travailed long enough. So what do they do? They interject "their" self righteous banter and go on about their business. Though they may have meant well...it's hard to keep upbeat and hold on when you have been waiting and believing for y--e--a--r--s that God will do something on your behalf. But yet again, nothing ever happens.
Still each time you watch on the outside as others receive their blessing, their healing, their restoration from the Lord. All the while you are STILL in waiting! It just gets old after awhile. They say God doesn't play favorites with His children, nor are there any step-kids in His eyes...but you wonder at times...if this is the case than why are some being given preferential treatment by Him and others are tossed to the side as if they were the black sheep of the family?
It's not easy for most of us to "talk" to another person...one that you want to really confide in. However, when you do, it can be a great release. Now, I'm not talking about having someone that is a "gossip partner," no, I'm referring to one that you can tell anything to and know that it stays between the two of you no matter what. They are there in your time of need. They might offer you an encouraging word, a loving hug, cry with you or just offer that soothing cup of tea. No matter what it may be, they are there for you. Finding someone like that is not an easy task...so for those that don't have this "luxury" they may turn to God to be their confidant.
What happens though when you turn to God and pour out your heart only to find out that it seems He is not listening...or it seems He just doesn't care? When you have gone to Him time and time again, and it is all of no avail. Others it seems have a direct line to Him that grants answers almost immediately. We know they are not always immediate answers but, when you've not heard a thing from him in days, weeks, months or even years....those answers you see others receiving will most certainly feel like immediate answers. One may begin to wonder if God is really even listening to you at all. If He is, then you might wonder...does He even care?
"Keep praying and hold fast," "Don't loose faith," "In God's time..." These are common phrases that you might hear while you are feeling left out and alone by the One Who is supposed to be your everything. You feel as if you want to lash out and ask, just how long am I supposed to keep faith and go on waiting for Him do do something or to listen to me? Of course if you do voice this question, immediately you are hit with the proverbial "all things are in God's time...He hears you...as long as it takes." Yeah, ok....whatever!
Discouragement wanes over you and you really don't want to give up hope or faith but since it seems God has turned a deaf ear to you....your faith is really wearing thin. Others don't understand when you begin to loose patience, all they see from the outside is that you haven't travailed long enough. So what do they do? They interject "their" self righteous banter and go on about their business. Though they may have meant well...it's hard to keep upbeat and hold on when you have been waiting and believing for y--e--a--r--s that God will do something on your behalf. But yet again, nothing ever happens.
Still each time you watch on the outside as others receive their blessing, their healing, their restoration from the Lord. All the while you are STILL in waiting! It just gets old after awhile. They say God doesn't play favorites with His children, nor are there any step-kids in His eyes...but you wonder at times...if this is the case than why are some being given preferential treatment by Him and others are tossed to the side as if they were the black sheep of the family?
3 comments:
Well sister, it seems as if you were writing from my head, heart, life and so on.
I kinda feel as if you really know what I was saying and talking about on my blog post this morning. I think may be you and I are kindred souls...huh? YUP!!!
Please dont give up prayers or hope. God does and will answet those prayers, but usually only after we totally give up all of our expectations, rules, bargaining things, etc.... KWIM?
Luv Ya sis!
Thanks for posting this one!!!!
Love & Prayers,
Ronda
I had someone say to me one time that she wished she had someone to talk to who would just listen and not judge. I think it is hard for us as Christians not to want to interject something that we think would make the person feel better. Unfortunately, sometimes it makes it worse. There really is something to being quick to hear and slow to speak. When we do speak if we could only speak timely words of Godly wisdom, which is so hard to do and not be laced with personal thought or man's wisdom. But we are human and do mess up even if our desire is to help. I have also found in my own life that sometimes words were needed, for I could not see clearly in the struggle and hurt I felt and needed to be held accountable. I must admit that I usually did not care for it at the time. No, not one bit. Looking back though, I am thankful that someone was willing to tell me what I really needed to hear and not what I wanted to hear.
I have at times taken the scripture to God from Proverbs 13:12 ~ Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life. I think most of us have experienced both. We sometimes get what we hoped for and sometimes we don't. I don't really know why God chooses or allows things to happen the way that they do sometimes, or why what we ask for does not always come. Maybe for the same reasons that we do not always give our children all they ask for. I do believe that God loves all His children, though the path He leads each down may be quite different. I think that regardless of the path, what makes the difference is that we know that He walks with us and knows what is behind us, what is before us, and where we are right now.
This past Sunday night in our Bible study our leader shared a thought with us. She just lost her husband to cancer about a month ago. She shared how easy it would be to fall into despair if we stayed focused on the one thing we couldn't have instead of all the many other blessings that God has given us. It was such a good reminder to me to check my focus.
May God's love surround all His children today and may each of us feel it personally!
I can so very much relate to today's post.
I have no choice but to draw upon the Word of God, His promises and His faithfulness.
If I allow myself to doubt God's Word, then I begin to allow myself to doubt God.
Psalms 84:11 - "For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly".
Deuteronomy 7:9 - "Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations"
Isaiah 30:21 - "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."
James 1:5-6, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."
Mrs.B
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