Draw near to God and God will draw near to you! (repost)

“It was a dark and stormy night…”

Don’t all good stories start out with some type of hook to keep you reading. But in real life, those storms can flip us upside down, often leaving us feeling abandoned and alone.

When life gets hard, one of my go-to verses is James 4:8, which reads, “draw near to God and God will draw near to you.” It does not, however, say, if you do this, this and this, then God will come to you. No, in fact the NIV actually reads, “Come near to God and God will come near to you.” This is a promise.

Some years back, I experienced one of the darkest times in my life. It became the catalyst for my book, The Me Disease. At the time, I became physically ill and the doctors could not tell me what was going on. It was definitely a dark and stormy night that left me debilitated for weeks.

As I laid in the bed, day after day, unable to eat or even get up, I thought God had abandoned me. As alone as I felt, I wondered if it would ever pass.

Even in your darkest hour, God is with you. 

But God is always with us. Even Jesus felt abandoned when He hung on the cross. In those last few hours of his life, the whole sky went black and darkness covered the earth. Jesus uttered, from Mark 15:34, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

The word forsaken means “to turn away from entirely.” Jesus thought God had turned from him. You may think God has turned from you too. But God never leaves us. In those dark moments of our lives, God stands in our place. We may not even realize it at the time. But God is there.

Pete Scazzero says, “From the greatest evil, the killing of Jesus, came the greatest good.” We know Romans 8:28 tells us, “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” Have you ever thought about how far that goodness goes? The worst thing possible happened, the darkest day ever, the crucifixion of God’s own son, and somehow God used it for the greatest act of goodness and mercy!

The Message reads, “That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good… God knew what he was doing from the very beginning.” Even in those moments when Jesus, the Son of God, could not perceive what God was doing, God was working out the ultimate good for all of humanity.

We can apply this truth to our own lives. Even in our darkest hour, we may not fathom the good God is working out on our behalf. But we can trust that He is.

“Let God work His will in you.”

Often, I will pluck verse and hold it close, never reading much further along. But today, as I reflect on James 4, I found myself in The Message. That same passage reads,

“So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him make himself scarce. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.”

Sometimes, we just have to go face down before the Lord. No matter your circumstances, God is here and God is now. Look for Him and trust in His Word. Know with all certainty, when you draw near to God, God will draw near to you!

Let us pray.

Dear Lord, when we forget You are with us, remind us. When the days are too dark, bring forth Your Light so that we might see. Thank you that your promises are true. May we rest in the peace, knowing You are with us always.  In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

P.S. If you need extra prayer or encouragement, visit my prayer page. Send me a message and know I will be praying for you. Check out my resources page for a link to a 24-hour prayer line