Daily Devotions for Difficult Days [81] God at Work

"I can't feel God at Work in my Life"

If I had a pastoral pound for every time.....

The complaint, "I can't feel God at work in my life" is a common one, along with its sister, "I can't see God at work in my life."

We may feel this over a short span of time or experience it over a much longer season of our lives.

In today's blog we explore the two spiritual misunderstandings that lie beneath this all-too-common lament.

It is rare that an unbeliever makes this kind of protest, for knowledge of God has been suppressed by their unrighteousness. So the very fact that a believer laments the felt presence of the Lord in his or her life demonstrates the reality of their faith and should therefore bring them comfort that they do indeed belong to Him.

We walk by Faith and not by Sight

The first misunderstanding beneath this lament is that our walking with God is by sight.

Every aspect of our Christian walk in the present world is by sight. Jesus rebuked Thomas for needing proof with sight and touch in these words, "Because you have seen me you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)

For today we live through that astounding supernatural gift of faith - which enables us to believe and rejoice in that which we cannot see. "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8)

Abraham wandered around powered by faith. For 25 of those years he waited for a promise to be realised. All the evidence was against that promise ever being fulfilled, and yet in God's good time a baby was born to Sarah because Abraham "considered him faithful who had made the promise." (Hebrews 11:11).

It's not that feelings are unimportant, "filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" does not sound cold or indifferent! God has given us feelings to be fulfilled. No, feelings are important, but feelings play second fiddle to faith.

When you ponder it for even a moment, faith is such an astounding gift. It enables us to believe and persevere through the most difficult circumstances over long stretches of time, sometimes with very little sight or feeling. Deep within us faith keeps us going, divine faith powers us along.

If you have faith, you have a most precious thing!

We Draw Near by Action

The second spiritual misunderstanding beneath the complaint "I can't feel / see God at work in my life" is how the Christian life works, how God's power is switched on, if I may put it that way. Here's our verse for the day:

"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." (Philippians 2:12-13)

Few verses in Scripture combine human responsibility and divine sovereignity together like this one!

Paul says emphatically - God is at work in you, fullstop. It's a fact! Let's believe that. And most remarkably, he is at work within us not only to empower us (to act) but to make us want his ways (to will).

Before we ever do our part, God is at work within us. Grace is always prevenient.

But look how Paul starts his exhortation, "Work out your slavation with fear and trembling." You and I have to do our part. We are not spiritual robots. We have to read our Bibles, we have to meditate on them, we have to pray, we have to make friends of God's people, we, we, we we.

And we have to do our part with great energy and seriousness - that's the meaning of "with fear and trembling." No half-hearted religion here, folks!

Summing it all Up

When we feel God is not at work in our lives, let us remember that sight is for heaven where we will not exerperience one second of doubt. And then let us get cracking spiritually. Get serious. Get reading and praying and serving and fellowshipping. In the full and comforting knowledge that as we do so, God also is at work within us. 100% God  - but also 100% us.

A SONG FOR THE DAY

I've chosen this song because it brims with faith and trust in the God.

I Do Not Know What Lies Ahead,
The Way I Cannot See;
Yet One Stands Near To Be My Guide,
He’ll Show The Way To Me:

I Know Who Holds The Future,
And He’ll Guide Me With His Hand;
With God Things Don’t Just Happen,
Everything By Him Is Planned.
So As I Face Tomorrow,
With Its Problems Large And Small,
I’ll Trust The God Of Miracles,
Give To Him My All.

I Do Not Know How Many Days
Of Life Are Mine To Spend;
But One Who Knows And Cares For Me
Will Keep Me To The End:

I Do Not Know The Course Ahead,
What Joys And Griefs Are There;
But One Is Near Who Fully Knows,
I’ll Trust His Loving Care:

Eugene L Clark, Alfred B Smith

You can hear it HERE.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Our loving and faithful Father in heaven,

We come to you with thanksgiving and walk into your courts with praise. We bless your holy name.

We confess our many sins to you. We have done what we should not have done and not done what we ought to have done.

We thank you for full and free forgiveness through your Son.

We thank you today for the precious gift of faith. Help us to exercise discipline and zeal and determination in the things of God, remembering all the time that you are working powerfully within us by your Word and Spirit to accomplish your good purposes.

In Christ's Name we pray these things,

Amen.