There are
things that happen to us that we can't – to a large degree – control. When such
circumstances aren’t favorable, they make us feel helpless, as if outside forces are imposing their will on our
lives. Other circumstances can be volitionally influenced by our initiative,
direction, and participation. However, when such things don’t go according to
our planned expectations, we’re left feeling hopeless.
Our
relationship with God often suffers in these times of feeling helpless and
hopeless. Why? Many of us view God’s love for us through the lens of our
circumstances. In other words, we interpret His love through the filter of either
what’s happening to us or how our plans have gone awry.
I know
both of these conditions well. They are the default of my fallen heart. I don’t
think I’m alone. As professing Christians, we’re emotionally tossed around
almost daily – if not hourly – by what’s happening to us or by our frustrated
plans. And because we know He’s ultimately in control of our lives and
everything that happens to us, we turn to the right Source – but often come to
a wrong conclusion: “You must not love me.”
How does
the gospel speak to this? How can it help us? How can it change us? Allow me to
share something with you that greatly assisted me. When I read it early this
morning, it blew through my soul with a cleansing and warm wind that gave me an
undeniable peace and joy. I hope and pray it does the same for you as you
meditate upon it. May we all be changed as we’re more and more gripped by the
gospel, refusing to allow difficult circumstances to deter our gaze from that
one demonstrable act of love that speaks to every situation that enters our
lives: the cross.
God came into the world and suffered and died
on the cross in order to save us. It is the ultimate proof of his love for us.
And when you suffer, you may be completely in the dark about the reason for
your own suffering. It may seem as senseless to you as Jesus’s suffering seemed
to the disciples. But the cross tells you
what the reason isn’t. It can’t be that God doesn’t
love you; it can’t be that he has no plan for you. It can’t be that he has
abandoned you. Jesus was abandoned, and paid for our sins, so that God the
Father would never abandon you. The cross proves that he loves you and
understands what it means to suffer. It also demonstrates that God can be
working in your life even when it seems like there is no rhyme or reason to
what is happening. – Tim Keller, King's
Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus (p. 207), emphasis mine
I agree with you in your assessment of our situation and condition which affects our walk with our loving heavenly Father. I have walked with the Lord for many years and yet find that that walk is sometimes close but many times not so close.
ReplyDeleteMost of the problems that affect that walk are not found in outside situations but are found in the center of my heart. Covered by the blood of Jesus, praise His holy name, it is still black on the inside. That black heart draws me into sin which affects, not His love for me, but my perception of my love for Him. I get caught up in the shame of repetition and conclude that I must not love Him. Often, it takes some time for me to overcome this guilt trip and come back to His love with a contrite heart not unlike the Prodigal.
Praise God, He is always there waiting to place His robe on my back and bring me once again into the shelter of his loving arms.
Thank you Ryan for helping me to think through this process.