Ways To Give

Divine Disturbance

Written by Marilyn Ehle

Are you facing challenges today? How can we pray for you?

“Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”  (Psalm 10:1)

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? . . . But I trust in your unfailing love. . .” (Psalm 13:1,5)

Jesus broke into first century religious Jewry when He challenged the view that material prosperity proved God’s blessing and approval. Could it be that Jesus is seeking to break into twenty-first century, Western, conservative Christianity in a similar way? Could He be saying that material comfort, good health, and picture-perfect families are not necessarily indicators of God’s blessing?

In The Voice of Jesus, author Gordon T. Smith writes, “We cannot assume that a comfortable lifestyle is necessarily a sign of God’s blessing… (We must be) alert to the way in which Jesus may want to disturb rather than comfort us… Through the illumination of our minds, the Spirit challenges our basic cultural assumption; the gospel is countercultural.” (Emphasis mine)

Immediately after Job’s friends misdiagnosed his condition we hear the thunderous question of God: Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? I love the way Eugene Peterson so vividly paraphrases it in The Message: Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about?

Only after God’s roaring description of His character and actions is Job finally able to say: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” (Job 42:5) It was Divine Disturbance that finally revealed truth.

Father, Help me not to lose sight of You when I’m faced with circumstances that I do not want to deal with. Draw me closer to You.  Amen.

Question: Has God ever used your circumstances to speak to you? Why do we assume that God’s best is the same thing as our comfort?

3 Responses to “Divine Disturbance”

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• Doris says:

  March 16, 2012 at 1:48 pm

  Thanks so much Indre and Shari for stopping by and leaving your comments. We are always encouraged to heard from our readers. It’s encouraging to hear that God is growing both of you as you trust Him for each new challenge in your lives.
• Indre says:

  March 4, 2012 at 9:43 pm

  Yes, when my husband had cheated on me six years ago, I questioned why me but now I thanks the father lord for all the heart ache because I have growned so much. I found my second home where I can go and feel so secured and full. I thank you so much father lord in the name of jesus crist to shine on me and all my love ones. I pray for all those suffering in all sorts of ways and I beg youj dear father to help my three year old niece overcpme lukemia. Cleanse hr body and all the othrs that are suffering in with it. God you are great
• Shari says:

  March 2, 2012 at 6:14 am

  I fall too easily into complacency when the pressure lets up. The battle then becomes the inner battle to not give into it and indulge myself in the activities that are self satisfying. Oh, Lord, forgive me. Bless you for your faithfulness. Bless you for your mercy and longsuffering with me. I need the discipline that keeps me planted in your Word. So much to keep in prayer. So much to learn. Teach us Your ways, for Jesus’ sake, for Your name’s sake. I pray. Amen

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