| Cold Sad Lazy Harshness |
Miserable Unhappy Sleepy Alone |
Gray Beautiful Dryness Death |
What comes to mind for most of us are words and/or images of a depressing nature? This is the time many of us feel that God is so far away, and we can not connect to Him, no matter how hard we try. Many feel tired and overworked. Some of us feel like giving up!
More than once we cry out to God and ask, “Why are YOU abandoning me?” “What did I do wrong?” “PLEASE show me?” But it all seems in vein, there seems to be no response. Yes you know what I’m talking about. We have all gone through similar experiences, but during this time of the year it feels so much worse. Reading “Hebrews 13:5 … I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”, makes no sense at all.
Yet, after every winter there is a summer and with its arrival - new hope and new challenges. We can easily picture a happy and bright image in our mind. We are open to more experiences and feel like new creations. The flowers start to bloom, the sun shines and the birds return with their songs of laughter. Oh’ what a time to live. We can feel the Lord all around us. We feel like we will do whatever HE asks of us. It feels like HE is watching every move we make, ready to catch us if we fall. “Hebrews 13:5 … I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”, comes to mind more than once.
Why would our loving Father leave us during the winter season of our life when we need Him the most? The answer is right in front of us. To built our faith.
He wants us to seek Him whole-heartedly. Looking back to the Old Testament, God came through for Israel, and only when they were seeking Him with all that was in them, not just part or what they felt they wanted to give -whole-heartedly with every fiber in their being.
He wants us to seek Him in a different way. What do we do when we feel deserted? We cry and complain. There is nothing wrong with that, but have we ever tried to force ourselves to worship Him; force our self to think of the good instead of the bad.
HE wants us to be quiet and know that He is God and in control - not us. Have we ever taken the time to stop what we are doing and look around at everything that we have? Have we ever just stopped and waited on Him to speak to us. If plan A is not working then go to plan B. The winter season: it is the time that we go through real testing and faith building. So may I suggest that from now on you thank and praise the Lord for the hardship, difficulties and tests. Ask Him to allow you to see through His eyes and to feel what He feels. What you can do for Him?
“Dear Father
I know that I’m a very selfish being. I also know that YOU love me more than life and for that I will do anything to become more like YOUR son JESUS. All I can do is to give YOU all of me for as long as I live. I will do what YOU want, go where YOU send me, and obey YOU regardless. Forgive me my selfishness, and grant me the spiritual wisdom to call on you and to go out of my way to praise YOUR name in my time of need. Amen.”
© Rudi Olivier 2004-07-04