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Obstacles to Seeking God

Obstacles to Seeking God


Proverbs 8:17 love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.

When I started cultivating a relationship with God, there were obstacles I had to overcome; barriers that suppressed my motivation to seek God as He calls us to.

Giving up our ways and will isn’t easy but that is what moving into a real relationship with God requires. It’s a willingness to go down another path, to acknowledge our ways might be wrong and to change direction. The very concept of seeking means we are looking for something we haven’t discovered before and when we find it to be willing to let it change us.

Letting go to embrace the truth of God begins with understanding what we are holding onto and why. When we understand the nature of our blockades then we can penetrate it with God’s truth. God showed me two significant lies I held that kept a wall between Him and I, two I believe many others share; a fear of embracing all of God’s character and putting others between us and God so the relationship is impersonal and indirect.

First, I was misled that if I fully embraced God as all powerful, just, righteous, and sovereign, then hardships and intense tribulations would consume my life. What if He led me down a path like Job’s, sent me to places I didn’t want to go, or made me live in outward depravity? I wasn’t ready for that life, nor did I want it. So I kept a safe distance and sought Him very little. It feels similar to thinking about getting married, for some of us. The fear of being hurt, making the wrong choice, and being stuck in something we don’t want can plague our thoughts. These fears block openness and trust that are required to move forward in a relationship. However, when the desire is strong to be united to someone, then the longing starts to override the fears. I came to the point in my life when my desire to be united in truth to God was overriding my fear of letting go and trusting Him. I began to seek within a comfort zone by spending a little time with God each day. God is patient and longsuffering. He meets us where we are at. He knows our thoughts, fears, and doubts about Him. He knows everything. They don’t disappear in an instance, but over time as we get to know Him. He connects with us in whatever season of life we are in and works with the faith we have.

Over time, as I learned about God the fear began to subside. He was much different than what I had been taught. He opened my eyes to the truth and it replaced the fears I held onto. He showed me His true character in the circumstances of my life and my trust grew.

God’s love is unlike any love we know. He desires the very best for us. When we commit to learning about Him, we discover who He is and not who we created Him to be; the image that made us fear being close to Him. This image, which we learned from the world, false teachings, family dynamics, and other mediums, is gradually replaced with the truth producing a real relationship with God; a relationship according to His design, not ours. He taught me I had nothing to fear and that He was my hope, life and the source to everything I needed and truly desired. When you taste of God’s love, mercy, care and goodness, a hunger develops to be consumed by Him.

We don’t need to be afraid to learn who God is. As we spend time with Him we learn this truth. We don’t have to fear what Job went through. Though his trial was intense, it lasted only a season, it wasn’t his life. Job’s life was incredibly blessed. Job 42:10-17 There have been times in my life where I went through something so difficult that I thought I would rather die than live, but those times were only for a season. Overall my life has been exceptionally blessed. In hindsight, I wouldn’t change my past. Those hard times taught me truths that I probably couldn’t have learned any other way and those truths set me free to have a better present. Most of my trials came from my own stubbornness, depravity and living lies. If I would have sought and trusted in God’s way initially I would have avoided many hardships, but those times brought me to Him, so I am thankful. Unfortunately most of us grow by difficulties not ease. We grow by experience not theories.

As we spiritually mature, our fear will continue to fade and the only dread we will have is being separated from God in any way. Bit by bit we surrender a little more. We must fight the influence of this world telling us that a life with God is anything but glorious. God is life. In Him we experience true life.

My second blockade was people. Godly men and women were my bridge to God. I didn’t trust or believe that I could learn and know God like these seemingly godly people. Besides, my time was limited and I didn’t have the time to give to search out His depths like they did. What if God thought about me like that? What kind of relationship is this I am offering Him, one all about me? I depended on others to teach me, lead me and nurture my spirituality. God and I had an indirect relationship. I only knew Him through others because I put the church system and others in place of Him. It’s like spending time with our spouse’s friends instead of your husband. We will learn a little about him, but we lack the intimacy of a true marriage. God calls us to know Him personally, not just hear about Him from another’s words, sermons, books, or teachings. God has given us His spirit, His Word and He is calling each one of us to come to Him directly. This intimacy is Christ’s gift to us.

Letting go of the middle man takes faith and faith comes from the Word. Come to God in the quiet of the day and ask God who He is; to show you His truth and ways. To open your eyes and ears to see and hear Him.

Seek God. Don’t be afraid of drawing near to Him because any fear isn’t real. He is love. But you must fight your fears by drawing a little closer each day so you can experience His goodness. And don’t hand your relationship over to another. It’s yours to nurture and develop. When you do you will discover a relationship that will be your greatest treasure.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.


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God Seeker

God Seeker

 

Ezra 8:22b The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”

How many of us truly seek God? We seek a “good” church, an “inspiring” pastor, “insightful” teaching, “fulfilling” programs, “meaningful” fellowship, to be healed inside and out, to feel good about ourselves, and the list goes on. But how many of us truly seek God? Hosea 13:6

In general, most seem to be more concerned with finding the “right” church than spending time with God – seeking Him and communing with Him in His Word one-on-one as a passionate bride.

Interestingly in the past couple of years, I’ve noticed many of my acquaintances feeling restlessness in their spirits; something is missing, unfulfilling, and off. They assume it is time to find a new church. But what if that restlessness is God calling them to Him, not another church? God wants a personal intimate relationship with us, but most are too busy trying to cultivate a relationship with the “right” church. He is stirring spirits to draw near to Him. But instead of turning to God and seeking Him, they continue to seek what won’t fulfill.

Amos 5:5-6 But do not seek Bethel (house of God, church), Nor enter Gilgal, Nor pass over to Beersheba; For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, And Bethel shall come to nothing. 6 Seek the Lord and live, Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, And devour it, With no one to quench it in Bethel—

For years I grew up seeking the things of “Bethel” and my life was a mess. I had no idea what death and destruction filled my days because I was blinded to my own state as I was reassured by others I was on the right path. But now that I have been seeking God for some time the difference in my life between now and then is enormous. I still have a long way to go, but finally I am moving forward instead of circles. I was trapped in bondage, affliction, and pain. I was trapped in myself. But when I started seeking God– He starting bringing me into freedom, healing, truth, true life, peace, rest, and joy, because I was brought into Him. Most Christians are settling for a life far below what Christ came to give because they are seeking the wrong thing – the church system instead of Him.

Most have a religion not a relationship. Most seek Bethel, the church system, and its programs, teaching, fellowship, and leaders but not God. But without a heart after God all these things are meaningless. And this is why the church is in the state it is – far from truth and full of starving souls trapped in deception. Few seek to know God in His Word and trust Him to teach them about Him, but this is what He desires of us. And this is the path to true life.

Seeking God starts by abiding in His Word, one-on-one. The Bible is His Words to us. It peeks into His will, purpose, character, and heart drawing us closer to Him. Once we are building upon the foundation of His Word in our lives, not some other man’s truth or interpretation, then all our other actions are molded in His truth – prayer, worship, fellowship, meditation, and so on. Otherwise all we do is established upon sand and not the Rock.

God made it simple for us – seek Him, and He will take care of the rest Matthew 6:33. Who or what are you truly seeking? Now is the time for the deep honest reflection because those seeking Bethel will be lead astray because they are following man not God. Jeremiah 50:6

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.