A father asked Jesus to deliver his son from demons. Jesus told the man “Anything is possible if a person believes,” to which the man replied “I do believe, but help me not to doubt.” The man received his request. His son was delivered. Jesus filled the gap between the faith the man had, and the faith the man needed.
When a situation requires more patience than I possess, I can say to Jesus “I have patience, but help me not to be impatient.” He will fill the gap. When a relationship calls for more love than lives inside me, I can pray “I love that person, but help me not to become irritated.” Jesus will provide the extra love I need.
There are many gaps between what it takes to live the Christian life, and what I – a mere human – am capable of. When I face such a dilemma, the best thing I can do is admit it to Jesus. He is the God who fills the gaps.
There are times when God seems distant and I wonder if the whole Judeo-Christian thing is a myth. I then say something peculiar: “I don’t believe in You, God.”
To address God in this way is to acknowledge that He exists – at the very moment I’m questioning His existence. On the surface, it’s a contradiction. Yet at a deeper level it reveals the truth that I can’t get away from God. I find peace in that, which provides further evidence of His presence, as He comforts my soul.
The reality of God is not altered by my doubts. God lives. And when I don’t believe that, I can tell Him.
The Bible encourages people to seek God with their whole hearts. If I am honest, however, I must admit that I don’t always do that. The many struggles of this life sometimes distract me from searching for God.
It is comforting, therefore, to remember the words recorded by in the Bible by Isaiah, where God says: “I am being found by people who were not looking for me. To them I say ‘I am here.’”
I often find God whether I am looking for Him or not. He shows up in something said by a friend, in a realization that comes to mind, in a sensation within the soul, in daily circumstances, and in thousands of other ways. During those unexpected intersections with God, I pause just a moment. I hear His voice in my spirit, making His presence known.
By all means, it is good to seek God wholeheartedly. But when I don’t do that, I can take courage nonetheless. God reveals Himself to people who are not even looking for Him. And just to make sure they don’t miss Him, God speaks out, saying “I am here.”
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, said this: “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud.” Many people I know are in dark cloud situations right now. Another translation calls it “thick darkness.”
According to the Bible, God is in there somewhere, though the gloom makes it virtually impossible to see Him. Once in awhile I’ve brushed up against Him in the shadows, or just sensed that He was near.
Though it’s only a minor comfort at the time, it’s definitely good that the Lord at least told us this. So when I find myself in a dark cloud, I have a chance of finding Him as well.
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