“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
This Sunday guest speaker Monique Van Blerk shared a message (HERE) called Faith with Empty Hands, about how we as Christians deal with unanswered prayer and who we attach our identity to in those hard times.
The simple truth is that you will need to watch it to truly capture all the gems that Monique shared, but in the meantime I would like to share with you my takeaways.
- We can hold more than one truth at a time, God is good and life is hard.
God is good and life is hard.
God’s goodness and life being hard are not mutually exclusive. They can both be true, and often they are.
- Don’t marinate in the pain.
Acknowledging that what you are going through is healthy. There is nothing wrong or sinful about feeling your feelings, as Monique points out, even Jesus had feelings. The important thing is not to camp out in that place of hurt. Instead use that hurt place as an opportunity to acknowledge your feelings and draw closer to God.
The important thing is not to camp out in that place of hurt.
God wants what is best for us. He wants what is good, and so typically you will receive one of three answers when you petition God in prayer. Yes. No. Not yet.
How we see God is what informs our reaction when we receive our answer. Do you see God as a grumpy parent ready to punish you? Or as a loving parent who only wants the best for you?
How we see God is what informs our reaction when we receive our answer.
Depending on how you answer that question you could find your reaction could go in very different ways.
I encourage you to take some time to think about how you react and how you see God, and if your reaction is poor, maybe its time to reframe how you see the God of the universe?
In the end as Monique shared with us, let joy come in the morning (Psalm 30:5). Let God bring something fresh and new out of something that was bad, know that joy first comes from knowing God and that in Him our faith is secure.
Let joy come in the morning