What steps can we take to trust God when He seems hidden? Opening the Text Job 23:8: “If I go east, He is not there, and if I go west, I cannot find Him.” Job voices the ache we feel when God seems distant. Yet the same chapter ends with confidence that God “knows the way I have taken” (v. 10). Scripture never hides this tension; instead, it guides us through it. Why God May Seem Hidden • Our limited perspective (Isaiah 55:8-9) • Seasons of testing and refinement (Job 23:10; 1 Peter 1:6-7) • Consequences of sin or neglect (Isaiah 59:2; Psalm 66:18) • A call to deeper dependence (Deuteronomy 8:2-3) Steps to Trust When God Appears Absent 1. Acknowledge the Feeling Honestly • Psalm 13:1 — “How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?” • God welcomes transparency; honesty is the doorway to renewed trust. 2. Anchor Yourself in God’s Unchanging Character • Hebrews 13:8 — “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” • Malachi 3:6 — “For I, the LORD, do not change.” • Meditate on who He is, not on the haze of present emotions. 3. Recall Past Faithfulness • 1 Samuel 7:12 — “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” • Keep a journal of answered prayers and providences. Reading it realigns your heart with proven truth. 4. Immerse Yourself in Scripture • Romans 10:17 — “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” • Suggested passages to read aloud: • Let His voice crowd out the silence you feel. 5. Choose Obedient Trust • Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the LORD with all your heart… He will make your paths straight.” • Act on what you already know is right: serve, give, encourage. Obedience fuels assurance. 6. Lean on God’s People • Hebrews 10:24-25 — “Let us consider how to spur one another on toward love and good deeds… encouraging one another.” • Isolation amplifies doubt; fellowship counters it with shared faith. 7. Wait with Expectant Hope • Lamentations 3:25-26 — “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him… it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” • Waiting is active: praising, seeking, staying alert to His subtle leading. Promises to Hold Tight • “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) • “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) • “We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) • “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6) Living the Lesson Job moved from bewilderment to confidence without immediate answers. We can, too, by: • Speaking honestly yet reverently. • Filling the silence with Scripture. • Remembering yesterday’s mercies. • Walking in daily obedience. • Waiting patiently, knowing a hidden God is still a present God. Trust grows not from always seeing Him, but from believing He sees us. |
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