What do we do when we feel far from God? There are always times in life when it’s hard to pray, or open our Bible, or work up the enthusiasm for church. These might be described as desert experiences where life feels dry, dull, or devoid of richness. Just as life has its ups and downs, so too does our faith.
The season of Lent mirrors the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness: a trying time indeed. No scriptures to hand. No synagogue or temple to worship in. No home comforts, nor even any certainty where his next meal would come from. And 40 days is a long time.
I find by the time we get to this stage of Lent it's becoming somewhat trying. All those good intentions I began with – my Lenten fast, that book I said I’d read, daily rhythms of prayer – all begin to come under pressure. And there's that little voice in my head that says, ‘Well, it doesn’t really matter, does it?’ Where does that come from? It's precisely the same voice that tried to tempt our Lord away from his purpose on his desert retreat.
What can we do in such circumstances? Keep going! The devotional life rests on structure and discipline. It won’t feel rewarding every day, but our commitment to showing up for God will always bear fruit. Maybe not today. But one day soon where, instead of hearing the tempter’s voice, it's the still small voice of God speaking to us.
Make sure you don’t miss it.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
No comments:
Post a Comment