Finding God In The Hard PlacesSample

"Where Are You?"

Oh, friend, I have never had to work hard to find God in the good times. My wedding day; the moment we laid eyes on our newborn son; my first published magazine article; sitting at the dinner table surrounded with people who love us. It’s glorious. It’s as if the face of God is shining on me, as if His favor has poured out in my life.

But in the hard times, I confess to you, that I wonder where He is. And, yes, I know that He will never leave me, nor forsake me. I know that He works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I know I should trust Him, cast my cares upon Him, and rest in His presence. When life is falling apart, how in the world are we supposed to practically do that? How am I supposed to get all those scriptures from my head to my anxious heart? 

Over the next seven days, I hope to walk with you as you engage with God wherever you are. If you’re feeling a little out of control and crazy, I want you to know that we’re all a bit north of crazy, given our circumstances. You are not alone. I want you to know that God can be found when you’re celebrating, when you’re suffering, when you’re transitioning, and when you’re bored completely out of your mind. 

He is found as we engage with the character of Christ, whose life and Spirit direct us to the Father. And I want you to know that God is a good Father. Our life does not always tell that story; but it’s true. You have no reason to trust me yet, but as someone who has emerged from hell on Earth more than once, I have personally fought to find Him at every stage of my life.

“Where are you, God?” has been a through line in my personal story. If you find yourself asking that question today as you examine your history, as you walk with a friend in need, or even as you examine the heartbreak that seems to be exploding all over the Earth, I invite you to ask Him this question. 

In his book, Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God, Dallas Willard said, “We truly live at the mercy of our ideas; this is never more true than with our ideas about God.” Let’s learn together about our Father in Heaven, about Jesus, and His Spirit made incarnate in our lives, and how He is Emmanuel, God with us. He is gentle, humble at heart, and as we seek to learn from Jesus, we find rest for our souls.

I pray you know Him every moment of your life as a “with us” God. Be found in His grace and His peace today.

PRACTICE: Re-read the scriptures above. At the top of a piece of paper, or in a note on your phone, write or type the question: Where are you, God? Now, set a timer on your phone for ten minutes. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Record what you hear from God.