Not Yet 2

Today, I just wanted to wrap up what we talked about last time regarding the reality that sometimes we experience a decreased sensory awareness of the presence of God and how it may be caused by our own pain and sense of shame. Pain may prompt us to say things like “where are You, Lord? Where are You in all these?” Shame makes us hide because we feel unworthy. We know, however, that both reactions are provoked by the enemy’s tactics. The enemy of our soul wants to separate us from Our Great God. He knows our weaknesses and he uses them to further his plan of disruption and chaos. He feeds on our fears and sense of inadequacy to then manipulate us into thinking we really are not worthy of the love of God…or that God really does not love us the way He says He does, for, if He did, He would not let us be in so much pain…

Given our weaknesses and state of mind, the enemy could sound extremely convincing. Doubt, despair, fear, anxiety, panic, anger, rejection, distrust…all those crushing feelings and emotions begin to clutter our soul and devastate our heart. The result: diminished awareness of the nearness of Our Lord…and a victory for the father of lies.

The truth, however, will set us free! (John 8: 32)

Seeking Him during those moments, coming to Him in the Word becomes crucial in those when apparent defeat is at hand, because no matter what the enemy may say to us, we know,

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8: 31-39

What else can I say? Let us dwell in this truth and trust the One Who Loves us enough to die for us.