In my testimony, I explain how my looking for God landed me in the psychic’s den. Had I not been looking for Him, I wouldn’t have gone through spiritual warfare, but I also wouldn’t have found Him like I did. I sought him out and found Him but not without enduring some pain first.
I believe that’s what you want to. I believe that’s what many believers are looking for. You’re looking for a dramatic touch; something tangible. That was me too; wanting to hear from God more and experience His presence in a greater way.
I was looking for the God of miracles: The One who separated the waters of the red sea; the One who’s presence awed Elijah and Elisha; the One who rescued Daniel from the Lion’s den; the One who came to Ezekiel with secrets; and the One who came in the flesh with power and healing. Most of all, looking for the One who possess us with His Holy Spirit, also with power.
As Christians, we have an expectation of Glory! We want God to surprise us in His spectacular movement and to see it often. We’re taught that God is miraculous and always about to do something great. This is especially true, in the midst of pain. This longing is magnified more so during the rough and tough times of life. It is then, that we absolutely need it. It gives us life.
The world is a challenging and difficult place and we need to be saved from it. Pain will test you. There are times when you feel it’s all hopeless. Evil is a part of life. People are influenced by it and hurt each other in many forms. The world will continue to disappoint and dishearten you. But don’t let it remove you away from the expectation of Glory!
The first thing to understand is that you’re not going in the right direction towards Glory if you think that God is evil too or responsible for evil. At the end of the day, we’re all responsible. We are the ones who are influenced by sin, not God.
Looking For God
Yes, God can be dramatic. He can come with an entrance that is grand. Yes, He can do some spectacular out of mind things that He did in the Old Testament. Yet, also, in the New Testament, which I’ve experienced in my own walk with God, the power and presence of God can be quiet in Christ.
Though I know you’re looking for the grand entrance, I want to challenge you to consider God’s presence uniquely in Christ. The Messiah had an entire childhood unbeknownst to most people. By the time most learned about God in the flesh, it was only a few years between His ministry and His resurrection. He performed miracles and wonders in public only for a short amount of time. But He spent most of His time in a quiet yet powerful life.
He was very modest, self-less, somewhat of an introvert, focused, and deliberate with a quiet confidence called ‘faith’. He watched, He observed, He used wisdom, He revealed spiritual secrets, He listened, and He talked to God privately. He had ministry in His heart; ministering with the Spirit of the Living God long before anyone knew He was the Messiah. Jesus was a quiet noise; a quiet power yet a beautiful existence.
I’m saying all this to say, don’t miss out on the presence of God because you’re looking for the big lights, the orchestra, and all the angels in heaven to come down. When I was going through spiritual warfare, I saw the angels, I heard them, the Lord spoke His scriptures, and made promises for a better tomorrow. But that was the biggest spiritual event I’ve ever experienced. Since then, I’ve still experienced His presence but much more in a quiet way.
He speaks to me quietly through scripture, dreams, prayer, and other people. He listens to me and plants secrets in my soul. He ministers to my heart and my head. He covers me with His comfort and His love. There are many things I may have missed out on if I continued to look for the parting of the red sea.
Don’t miss out on God’s presence looking for an extravagant presentation. Learn how God speaks to you by being watchful, learning to quiet your mind, learning to listen, and letting Him minister to you by spending private time with Him. Don’t be so anxious to prophesy and use your gifts without being just as excited about Him sulking you in His glory quietly but powerfully. Don’t be so caught up in being the woman of God that God speaks to but get caught up in being the woman of God that God sits with.
If you sit, talk, listen, and wait for Him, He will come. If your heart is sincerely with Him, like the heart of David, and not about the gifts He give, you will hear from Him in a way that’s unique to you.
In addition, when pain comes don’t get discouraged because you’re looking to see behind the scenes how God is doing things. Trust the quietness. Trust the midnight glory! Don’t let the world drown out His presence. Let Him quietly but forcefully bring you out. God will give you His best fight, support, and you'll always remember it. And when He brings you out out, say 'thank you', praise Him, and continue living a life that represents your gratitude.
This is not to say you won’t have any grand moments. Look for them! But don’t get discouraged when God doesn’t need to be so loud. Have a quiet confidence called ‘faith’.