Pain and Seeking

In Acts 17:26-27 we hear, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.”

The following is a prayer by a torn and frustrated man:

My Lord, my Lord, won’t you come to me, I’ve been longing for you every day. Life has brought me pain, each day is just the same, and I just can’t make it all by myself. I was raised to always take care of things, thinking surely I’m in control. Then the bumps in the road put me on overload, and I start every day with a frown. I search and I search, always ending in the lurch, ‘Cause my will is trying to lead the way. Went from church to church seeking help in my search, but it’s something that can’t just be given. And then it began to dawn on me, I must first surrender to the Lord.Once I abandoned to him with all my might, I could see my destination door. My Lord, my Lord now you’ve come to me, ‘Cause I’m letting you be in charge. While the pain tries to gain, now your spirit makes it lame, I seek your will every day of my life. AMEN. (Anonymous)

Scripture reveals to us many reasons and ways to seek the Lord: John 4:23 tells us: “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”

And then in Hebrews 11:6 Paul is telling us: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

That which seems so simple and easy in knowing the spiritual life is so hard for us humans to deal with. We just can’t take the “me” out of our lives and turn things over to God.

In Jeremiah 29:13 God tells us again: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” And this is fortified in Deuteronomy 4:29: “But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

How simple can it get, but how hard it is to follow as we are reminded of God’s need for our love as stated in Proverbs 8:17 “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.”

Seeking the Lord has no Barriers

You have probably seen TV commercials for a medicine or treatment that describe a product while showing people doing lots of neat things as if the medicine or treatment would turn their lives totally around. As the joy and wonder on their faces is being shown and the product is described, there is something else going on in the commercial.

An unseen speaker in the background is chatting away about the negative impact you might experience as a result of taking the product, especially those with certain health issues contained in a long list being quietly expressed. These medicines and treatments made to help you, could result in bad reactions or in some cases even death.

Seeking God to improve our lives is a much different story. God is with us always. When we turn to Him in all things, nothing can destroy us, as we are His Eternal Children. Whatever happens to us in this worldly life is overcome in our resurrection. No “Warning” is necessary.                                                                           

We hear in Romans 6:4-6, "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

An interesting way of looking at prayer and our life in Christ is shown in this story by an anonymous source. “Once a man was asked, ‘what did you gain by regularly praying to God?’ The man replied, ‘nothing, but let me tell you what I lost: Anger, ego, greed, depression, insecurity, and fear of death.’ Sometimes the answer to our prayers is not gaining but losing; which ultimately is the gain.” (Anonymous)

Choosing not to seek the Lord in our lives is often for one of two reasons: 1) We just can’t believe in something we are not able to see and 2) We don’t feel worthy of God’s kind of love because of our sinful nature. In both cases we are ‘throwing out the baby with the bathwater.’ God’s longing for our friendship with Him is completely ignored.  

In Acts 17:24-28, we are reminded: “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.  Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.  

And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,  so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being….”                                       

We have nothing to do with our created life. While our own fathers and mothers brought us into this world, all humanity has and will be brought into this world by our Father God. We must recognize our deep blood connection with the Father and understand that He wants a close relationship with His created children. He created us and provides all things for us eternally.

Contemplating Our Lives

People tend to contemplate life as they live it from childhood to late life. A person’s particular take on life will guide them in how they see themselves in their life. There’s always a chance to change our direction in life, whether we seek guidance from God, a friend or take it on ourselves - or, maybe all of the above.

In my recent contemplation on my life, I wrote a poem that gives a general movement in my life over the years. I share it here for my reader’s consideration and to possibly encourage you to write your own poem about your life journey. You’ve probably thought about it many times and may have written some things down.

In many ways, life is being in a constant state of discontent, with occasional pauses to celebrate the blessings we have received and the good job we have done. I now offer you my poem about my life journey so far, with the hope that it will help you be intentional about reflecting on your life and praising God for His gift of life to us.

A Life Journey                                                                                                                                  
Life is a blessing, Don’t know when it willend, When I made choices in life, Didn’t know where me they would send. I missed the Lord’s guidance, When I was young, Trusting in His love, Was a song I’d not sung. I Needed to love Him, Yes, to love Him, Oh, Yes to love Him, Yes, to love Him.
I’d see other people, Reaching out for God’s hand, I saw the life they lived, It helped me understand.
When hit with misfortune, Others prayed for me, Lifted up to God’s presence, I began to see.
I felt He loved me, Yes, He loved me, And I loved Him, Oh, yes I loved Him. From that time forward, My life has been changed, I’m seeking His Will now, Yes I’ve been rearranged. All of the love that I’d missed, When Him I ignored, I’m now His disciple, Bringing folks to the Lord. And I love Him, Yes, I love Him, Oh, how I love Him, Yes, how I love Him. Life still holds misfortune, Mixed with joy that God sends, His promise of Eternal love, Gives me hope to the end. I’ll keep working His way, Oh, yes I will, To Him I have promised, That I won’t be still.
Thanks be to God!