Heaven Seem Silent?
As humans we most often place our emotional expectations in people, goals, careers, accomplishments, possessions, or the attainment of wealth. Deceptively believing they will fill the hollowness of unlove.
But remarkably, in our quest rarely do we pick God as our PRIMARY source. Odd because of all we might choose – He should of all options be our greatest possibility for success! …At least, to those of us who believe He exists.
But instead, most often we merely make Him the provider of our “God substitutes”. …The source of secondary choices.
And why do we do that? Isn’t the reason obvious? To us God is unreliable. Distant, hard to hear, invisible, and often demanding. Aren’t these the unspoken conclusions most of us have come to from experience? And truth being, even our sources of “God education” have implied the same. Isn’t that true?
But what if all along - what we have believed has been wrong? What if there is something missing in our “God equation” that is causing this great God distance?
The truth is by now most of us have grown comfortable with God being distant and invisible. …Comfortable with Him being hard to hear.
Think about it – even when someone tells you that God “spoke” to them; what they actually are saying is that they prayed - and a thought “dropped into their head” (and it was God). Or they were reading in their Bible and some verse seemed to “come alive” (and that was God). Or something someone said seemed to be “the answer” they needed to hear (and yes, that was also God). Isn’t it true?
And yes, I’m sure God can and does use all of these as ways to get through to us...
…But is this as good as it gets?
Know what I mean? Is this as close to Him as we can get? And if true, was this sort of “indirect” communication all Jesus ever experienced? …I really struggle to believe that!
But if there is more - and if Jesus actually promised something different; then again, why are we so willing to accept this distant life with God?
Could the answer be as simple as it is all we have ever known? …And all we have ever seen in the lives of our friends?
But again, what if what we have believed has been wrong?
Theory: Think about this – could it be possible that the “God distant” we feel…and the silence of heaven…is to some degree BECAUSE of our choices? …Choices for those other “God-substitutes” that I began this blog talking about?
What do I mean? Is it possible when you or I refuse to believe any other narrative than some specific person in our life is the only source we believe can fill the hollow of unlove…we feel inside - that God honors our desire…and steps back?
Or when the driving force that awakens and drives us each day is now some obsessed accomplishment or goal - God also then steps back?
Or when we have subconsciously begun to believe that others will accept or admire or envy us if we just live in a certain type of home, or drive a certain car, or wear certain style of clothes, or look a certain way? And if so, does God see into our heart; and honor what He finds there…and steps back?
In Jeremiah 29:13 you are promised that if you seek God with all of your heart…you will find Him. Now listen closely. It doesn’t say that you will find God if you seek Him to fix a problem, or provide something you think you cannot live without. …Or change or fix a relationship. It says that you will find God, when in that moment of time you are seeking Him and nothing else.
It has been many years since I first found myself tired of what this world offers. What about you? Tired of the endless pillage and plunder for the spoils that never are enough? Beginning to realize that even if you found the “right” person…they are never going to fill that hollow void of unlove? Or if God changed the one you are with…you would still feel empty and never loved enough?
To any of us who begin to see the futility of what this world offers, Jesus with deep love beckons us, “Come to me, all of you who labor (those of you who feel fatigued, exhausted and worn-out) and are heavy laden (who feel loaded up and overburdened), and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek (gentle) and lowly (humble) in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
Tired? Then drop everything. I promise Jesus is waiting. And just so you know…you don’t have to clean yourself up first. He doesn’t care what you have been involved in. He just wants to love on you. …The way you are. But remember…you can’t take anything with you. You have to leave all of your “God substitutes” behind. Understand? Come on…God’s waiting. …Waiting just for you.
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One of the driving forces underneath everything that coerced me for 50 years to search for answers for unanswered questions, and to then finally write and finish the PROJECT, was the wide-range acceptance within our Christianity community to some degree of an painful and empty life…
…a life that seemed to offer so little difference from the lives of those living outside our “community”.
Sure we have changed our habits, some of our actions, how we talk, how we treat each other, where we go and what we do…but deep inside are we really that much different? Know what I mean? Are we hurting that much less? Are we less depressed? Less fearful and insecure? Happier?
Ready for a different relationship with God? Ready to travel an easier road? Ready to be loved as you are?
…Then I promise you are ready for the Stepping into God’s World PROJECT. It is a whole different approach to relationship with God. …And something you have never heard.
See you there.
- Rod Pruitt