Where Is God? Why hasn't He heard my pleas?!

How many times have you wondered where God was in your distress?  Have you echoed David's words in Psalm 22:1?

My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are You so far from helping me, And from the words of my groaning?

You don't hear an immediate answer.  You cry out again.

O my God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;... (Psalm 22:2)

You feel like everyone is getting their answers, but not you.

 They cried to You, and were delivered...  (Psalm 22:5)

Again you plea.

Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help. (Psalm 22:11)

You're weak.  You can't face the world on your own.  You need someone, but you can't find someone.  Your prayers are bouncing off the walls.  Face it.  We've all been there.

I think Psalms is probably one of the most relatable books of the Bible.  Why?  Because there is so much in it that we deal with on a daily basis.

Honestly, I can't tell you how many times I've read it.  It's comforting to know that I'm not alone in experiencing what I've gone through or am going through.

Take this Psalm for instance.  David was suffering.  And just like most Christians, we plea for someone to ease our suffering, and we beg for someone - God - to help us bear our troubles.  We can't bear them alone, but we don't let go like we should.

When we don't let go, God can't work in our lives.  He can't give us "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding."  (Phil. 4:7)

God doesn't want us to suffer.  Suffering is a curse, brought on by the enemy.  God only deals in blessings.  He wants to help!

Eventually, in that same Psalm, David acknowledges that God "...has not despised nor abhorred the afflictions of the afflicted; Nor has he hidden His face from him; But when he cried to Him, He heard." (Psalm 22:24)

He came to his senses and realized that God wasn't the one despising or abhorring him and his people.  God had in fact heard his cries!

Don't let the enemy lie to you and tell you God isn't hearing you.  He is!  You just have to believe He'll help and then receive that help.  He's there for you to bear your burdens.  You just have to let Him. 

The world doesn't have to weigh on your shoulders.  God's there, like He always has been.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11: 29, 30)

Decisions. How do they affect your life? Guest Post by Sharon Johnson

Today, guys, I want to introduce you to Sharon Johnson.  A wonderful author that I've had the pleasure of meeting through the Christian Indie Novelists group we both belong to.  Today, she's sharing her story.  Leave some comments, make her feel welcome!  And if all goes well, she will be a contributing author to the blog! 

Thank you for having me today.  I am thrilled to be here. 

      

Life is all about decisions.  We make decisions all day long.  Some are good decisions.  Some are bad decisions.  Seems like all my life I have been making bad decisions.  I have always heard; listen to that voice deep inside.  You know that feeling you get, when you know you are making a terrible decision.  I always ignored that feeling.  Not sure why.  Maybe fear. 

     

I drank to make me feel better about the terrible decisions I made.  I starved myself because I didn’t think I was good enough.  If I wasn’t drinking, I was starving myself.  I was a mess.  I believed in GOD.  I prayed.  Why was my life such a mess? 

    

One time in my life, I found myself alone.  I was a divorced woman. Divorce is a sin.  I knew I was going to Hell, so it didn’t matter what I did.  I moved in with a man and I knew it was wrong. There was that feeling deep in my stomach, telling me I was making the wrong decision.  I couldn’t live on my own.  Who was going to take care of me? Three years in a abusive relationship.  I thought I deserved it.  I am a divorced woman going to Hell, so nothing really mattered.

I finally got out of the abusive relationship, thanks to GOD, though at the time I didn’t give GOD any credit.  I was alone.  I had nothing.  I was crying one night, till I could cry no more.  I looked up and screamed.  “Just tell me what to do!  I don’t know what you want from me.  Tell me what to do!”

I fell asleep on the floor, where I was crying.  I woke up and the answer was crystal clear.  GOD answered my prayer.  He didn’t yell the answer.  I had peace inside of me.  I knew what I had to do.  GOD told me to move and stand on my own.

Did GOD know who he was talking to?  I was 45 years old and never lived alone.  I needed someone to take care of me. 

The first time in my life I was going to listen to that voice/feeling deep inside of me.  Was I scared?  Yes.  Did I think I could do it? Nope.  For the first time I was trusting GOD.  I stopped drinking.  Best thing I ever did.  As the years past I discovered that GOD loves me, even when I ignored him.  I still make wrong decisions, but whenever I make a decision and get that feeling deep inside, I listen to that feeling.  Sometimes I don’t agree with that feeling.  In the end that feeling is guiding me in the right direction.

    

I do hope that no matter what is going on in your life, you will listen to that voice deep inside of you.  The voice will not be loud, it will be soft, loving and will nudge you in the right direction.  It is your decision; GOD gave us all free will.  I can tell you that my life is so much better since I am listening to GOD.

My Bible—My God is my testimony to GOD.  I let Satan throw me into a pit.  GOD pulled me out of the pit.  God was with me, even when I ignored him.  GOD is always with us.  We just have to listen and He will guide us into making the right decisions.

You are never alone.  GOD loves you. 

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future. 

 My Bible—My God.

     

http://sharonleejohnson.com