342. Celebrating God's Grace, God Is With Us Even When We Don't Feel It

In today's podcast, Rusanne Carole speaks honestly about when we "feel" God isn't there and we have difficulty hearing Him or seeing Him at work in our lives. We all have times of joy and laughter and times of discouragement and questioning. It is normal for doubt to enter our minds, but we mustn't be led by our these thoughts that cause doubt that God is always present desiring the best for us. As women of God, we are called to persevere! Run the race of faith knowing God is there even if we can't "feel" it. He promises this and it's a promise we must cling to for when we are weak, He is strong! ****** Welcome to Celebrating God's Grace, a Women World Leader's podcast. I am your host, Rusanne Carole. Thank you for joining us today and we hope you can join us each week as every Monday in "Empowering Lives with Purpose" with, Kimberly Hobbs, our founder, she shares with us a beautiful time of chatting with women of God who give part of their testimony, their "God story" -  giving God the glory.  It is so encouraging when we hear others' stories of overcoming and celebrating God's goodness and faithfulness. The Word tells us there is power in the testimony. This 30-minute interview inspires and lets us know we are not alone in our challenges, but God is always with us and never leaves us! And each Wednesday, our very own Julie Jenkins in Walking in the Word shares a study where she is currently looking at and teaching from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 20 minutes where she teaches verse by verse and delves into the life of Jesus that fills and feeds the soul. And on Fridays, we have a team of podcasters I am honoured to be a part of where we celebrate God's goodness and all He has for us to live the abundant life He desires for each of us. I want to be very open and honest with you today.  I didn't "feel" like working on a podcast for this month's message and recording. I'm currently going through one of the most challenging seasons of my life. This is not about sharing every detail of what is happening, we are all going through things. And if we aren't currently life has a way of presenting things for us (or our loved ones) to deal with! And the enemy has reminded me often – "Is this really the best it's gonna get?" "Where is your God? I don't see him helping you and it's been months, where do you think He could be? Is He really for you? Is He really real?" I am reminded of a song that the lyrics say, The world will say, "Where is your God" and we will say, "He's right here with me!" But what about the times that you just can't see Him or you are not hearing from Him? I recently read and contemplated a statement a pastor wrote: When we are in the perfect will of God, we hear and feel nothing. What? What do you mean? I've always pictured I'm in His will when I "see" Him at work in my life, when I am hearing from Him  - loud and clear. Oh, what a joyous time those have been when I just knew it was God directing me, guiding me. It felt safe and secure – knowing He was there helping me down the path of life and it's many decisions. But as I have gotten older and having spent more time in relationship with my heavenly Father He is showing me more and more about faith! Believing, even when I don't "feel" Him at work. 2 Cor 5:7 says for we walk by faith, not by sight. Can we be an unbelieving believer? I think yes. We are called to believe in the Lord Jesus with our whole being. MIND, BODY and SOUL. Our minds can receive and even believe all that we learn in His Holy Word, yet our emotions can be unbelieving! Our mind can run to Him. And our emotions can run away from Him. A negative emotional perception of God will hinder the attempts to look at Christ as the WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. So back to getting in His will for us? Do we honestly believe He has a better plan for our lives than we could pursue for ourselves. When everything in us is screaming, "NO!!! I want my life to be different!" We must pray, "Lord, I want your will, not mine." It involves dying to the self that drives us daily. God truly does have the best plan for our lives. We must believe! And when God is quiet it requires trust, perseverance in our walk (whether we are hearing and seeing Him at work – the Word promises us that He is). Same as my boys. When they were young and suppose I told them not to drive their bikes in the street. If I saw them riding in the street, I would yell at them to get out of the street – and if they didn't hear me I would run outside to get close where they could hear me or even retrieve them out of harm's way. However, if I looked out the window and found them doing what they were supposed to they would hear nothing from me. The same is true with the Lord. We must be careful not to compare, especially in this world where we "share" so much on the spinning reel of social media.  God will speak to us all differently and in His time – not ours. I know God has spoken to me in the most amazing times when I least expected it. I had not asked for it but He in his wisdom spoke when He decided to speak. He doesn't have to speak to know He is there. His promises tell me so! So sisters, my prayer for all of you and myself is we KNOW God is there working for us, loving us, directing us – even when we don't "feel" it. Regardless of our worldly circumstances, for there is a "heavenly home" that awaits. Regardless of our feelings, for they are like a yo-yo, up one moment and down the next! Regardless of what the world may say about where our God is, as Christians – Christ lives in us! And as I come to an end of writing this and speaking this out I already feel better for it is His Holy Spirit that comes to minister to our heart, mind and soul and ask him – COME, even if we have to ask over and over and over again. Our Lord understands.