Changed Circumstances
The LORD changes his people’s circumstances for the better.God turns life around.
The LORD looks down from heaven on humans to see if anyone is wise, to see if anyone seeks God.
God sticks his head out of heaven. He looks around. He's looking for someone not stupid— one man, even, God-expectant, just one God-ready woman.
-Psalm 14:7, 2 (CEB, MSG)
God changes people's circumstances. God is watching to see who is seeking Him. Many people, many of us are waiting for God. We're waiting for God's promises to come true, be fulfilled, to be made manifest in our lives. We're waiting for God. We're expectant. Some of us are even pregnant with God's promise.
Some of us are fighting heart-sickness because we're worn out with waiting. We're disappointed, even angry. We don't like to say we're angry, so instead we say we're hurt. We're disappointed.
Some of us struggle with a sense of entitlement towards God and when things don't happen, we cry like children who don't get their way. We get deceived about the very nature of God and end up needing deliverance. We've been taken captive by lies.
Why is God taking so long and why must I suffer so, we say. The why's are the wrong question. God is looking for who is seeking Him.
We're waiting, waiting, waiting, seems like this will never change, we're waiting. Is the waiting turned to seeking, to God-expecting, to God-readiness?
One of my favorite reflective verses is the word of Job when he was waiting for what seemed like forever and going through some serious suffering, physical and emotional. He was very sick and painfully sick. He was misunderstood, misquoted, rejected by his people, and had suffered colossal loss. What Job said was, "Though he slay me, yet I will trust him." The Message puts it like this: "Because even if he killed me, I'd keep on hoping." (Job 13:15) Can you say this? Have you died to self or are you allowing your self to die in Christ? Are you taking up your cross as you follow him?
You might say, "it's not working!". But, as they say, it only works if you work it. We know we are not saved by works, but those who have faith will do works. It's a paradox in a way. One sage said that you've either got faith or unbelief. Faith works. Passivity is something other than faith. It might be disobedience, unbelief, or fear. The stepping stone to faith out of unbelief is, "I believe, but help my unbelief!"(Mark 9:24) Or, even simpler, "help Lord!" (Psalm 12)
So, we talk about waiting for God. When will God move? When will God do this or that thing for us. We cry, oh God, oh God, oh God, help! And God hears, we know he hears, because he is God and God hears everything. So, what's happening? We're praying and waiting over what is not happening, but what is happening? Notice that I am asking what and not why.
God is waiting for us. God is waiting for other people. God is waiting. That is what is happening. That's a big "Selah", a pause and reflect moment when we get this.
God is waiting for us. God is waiting for us to change, God is waiting for us to be ready. We can deceive ourselves into forgetting our need to change and to get ready. God is not waiting for us to be perfect in and of our own selves, but just for us to turn to Him and say goodbye to sinful ways and attitudes. The ready one is a repenting one. The "holiest" people repent often and know they are loved. They aren't ashamed, but they are repentant. You can be ashamed, but not repentant, not ready and not seeking God. The shame game is not the way on to God.
This time, next year for example, might be the window of opportunity, the kairos time for you. Now is the time to get ready, to seek God. Those that seek God are changed by seeking God, they are made ready for upgrades or changes that God wants to bring about.
Now is the time to seek God, to be made ready for God's big changes of circumstances, for God's big turn-arounds. If we are centered in God, the changes will be like turning a corner, perhaps even like turning a corner in a fast car; but you are buckled in and next to the driver. If you are not centered in God, the same turn will be very jarring and unpleasant.
Some of us are fighting heart-sickness because we're worn out with waiting. We're disappointed, even angry. We don't like to say we're angry, so instead we say we're hurt. We're disappointed.
Some of us struggle with a sense of entitlement towards God and when things don't happen, we cry like children who don't get their way. We get deceived about the very nature of God and end up needing deliverance. We've been taken captive by lies.
Why is God taking so long and why must I suffer so, we say. The why's are the wrong question. God is looking for who is seeking Him.
We're waiting, waiting, waiting, seems like this will never change, we're waiting. Is the waiting turned to seeking, to God-expecting, to God-readiness?
One of my favorite reflective verses is the word of Job when he was waiting for what seemed like forever and going through some serious suffering, physical and emotional. He was very sick and painfully sick. He was misunderstood, misquoted, rejected by his people, and had suffered colossal loss. What Job said was, "Though he slay me, yet I will trust him." The Message puts it like this: "Because even if he killed me, I'd keep on hoping." (Job 13:15) Can you say this? Have you died to self or are you allowing your self to die in Christ? Are you taking up your cross as you follow him?
You might say, "it's not working!". But, as they say, it only works if you work it. We know we are not saved by works, but those who have faith will do works. It's a paradox in a way. One sage said that you've either got faith or unbelief. Faith works. Passivity is something other than faith. It might be disobedience, unbelief, or fear. The stepping stone to faith out of unbelief is, "I believe, but help my unbelief!"(Mark 9:24) Or, even simpler, "help Lord!" (Psalm 12)
So, we talk about waiting for God. When will God move? When will God do this or that thing for us. We cry, oh God, oh God, oh God, help! And God hears, we know he hears, because he is God and God hears everything. So, what's happening? We're praying and waiting over what is not happening, but what is happening? Notice that I am asking what and not why.
God is waiting for us. God is waiting for other people. God is waiting. That is what is happening. That's a big "Selah", a pause and reflect moment when we get this.
God is waiting for us. God is waiting for us to change, God is waiting for us to be ready. We can deceive ourselves into forgetting our need to change and to get ready. God is not waiting for us to be perfect in and of our own selves, but just for us to turn to Him and say goodbye to sinful ways and attitudes. The ready one is a repenting one. The "holiest" people repent often and know they are loved. They aren't ashamed, but they are repentant. You can be ashamed, but not repentant, not ready and not seeking God. The shame game is not the way on to God.
This time, next year for example, might be the window of opportunity, the kairos time for you. Now is the time to get ready, to seek God. Those that seek God are changed by seeking God, they are made ready for upgrades or changes that God wants to bring about.
Now is the time to seek God, to be made ready for God's big changes of circumstances, for God's big turn-arounds. If we are centered in God, the changes will be like turning a corner, perhaps even like turning a corner in a fast car; but you are buckled in and next to the driver. If you are not centered in God, the same turn will be very jarring and unpleasant.
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