“Maybe . . . you are struggling with too much to be able to say with confidence that you know the love of God. Don’t try to generate faith in these moments. Don’t try to fix yourself. Instead, grasp ahold of your struggle, fears, worries, and needs, and bring all of that to the Lord. Come out of hiding and tell him exactly what you are feeling and thinking and wrestling with. Be open to his forgiveness, mercy, and love.”- Kyle Strobel and John Coe
“By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.”- 1 John 3:19-20 (ESV)
Kyle Strobel and John Coe continue Chapter 8 of When God Seems Distant with this salient point. That we don’t simply develop spiritual virtue. In addition, we bear the fruit of abiding in Christ. However, the authors caution, we must not turn the reality of being with God into a feeling. Because we cannot judge the work of God by attending to our feelings.
Furthermore, Kyle and John counsel, feeling excited or joyful fails to help is discern God’s presence and activity. Thus, when we live by faith, we trust what the Lord’s declared to us. Hence, we cannot reduce being filled with the Spirit to a feeling.
In conclusion, the authors encourage:
“We too struggle with where God leads us. But our feelings don’t somehow locate God in this world, and they don’t tell us about his presence. Rather, our feelings of struggle tell us about ourselves and the truth of how much we need him. . . .
The path of faith must lead us beyond what our present experience seems to be telling us. The path of faith leads us to the God who is greater than all we experience, even when our feelings tell us that he is the one condemning us.”
Today’s question: What Bible verses help you grasp ahold of your struggle? Please share.
Coming Monday: the July Short Meditation, “Come to the water – and listen”
Tomorrow’s blog: “God’s presence = spiritual pleasure?”