Don't run away

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1: 12

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139: 7 – 10

All of us will go through trials and tests in our Christian walk.  Sometimes circumstances will seem to build up against us and at other times they come from our own mistakes and sin. God permits them in order that what is on the inside is exposed to us. Often it is only through difficulties that we get to see what is really in our hearts. Sometimes this is not good viewing!

Under pressure our attitudes, prejudices and beliefs come to light. It is often when things are tough that we discover what ungodly beliefs, pride, selfishness and insecurity are underneath the surface. This is not a surprise for God but can be a big surprise for ourselves. There have been times when I have been mortified by what has been exposed in my heart by the time of testing.  However this is not to make us feel bad about ourselves but to free us from sin, pride and insecurity.

The first thing that can happen though is that we want to run away and hide and we would be in good company. Adam, Elijah and Jonah all tried that one. Moses argued with God and tried to get out of an assignment that seemed to expose all his weaknesses. Our model though instead should be David. 

When caught in adultery and murder, he went straight to God and pleaded with him not to take his Spirit from him (Psalm 51). Psalm 139 written by David shows he knew you can never get away from God – even if like Jonah you run to the far side of the sea – even there God will find you and David was comforted by this. Hiding from God and other Christians in our times of weakness and testing should be the last thing we do. Instead we must press into God and seek out the company of trusted Christian friends.

God is for us, not against us.  He does not want us weighted down and hampered by sin and weakness. He wants us free from them to enjoy the fullness of his plans and purpose for our lives. The next time you stumble or feel under attack by either people who discredit you, speak unkindly of you or reject you or by the devil spinning his lies, don’t run away. Press into God’s presence. Whether the situation is of your making or by others, seek God and his comfort. Don’t try running away – it really doesn’t help. God will find us; God will have his way and we can completely trust his loving dealings in our lives the first time.   

God everywhere

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  Psalm 139: 7-10

I love these verses of assurance that wherever we go God is there. Joseph found this to be true. He did not leave God behind in Canaan when he was sold into slavery. He knew God was with him even in the midst of the great idolatry of Egypt. He knew who was God. God cannot be superseded by anyone or anything else – he is God – the Lord over everything.

We know He never leaves or forsakes us (Joshua 1: 5). He doesn’t leave us the entrance to the tunnel of difficulties, promising to meet us at the other end. He is with us in the darkness, shedding his light, giving us assurance and holding our hand every step of the way.

If we are called across the world or even to a different town, God is already there waiting for us. How can God who loves us, leave us?  Unfortunately our circumstances can sometimes become so huge and difficult that they appear to block out God’s presence and the devil rushes in with his lies of rejection, isolation and abandonment making us doubt God and his promises. But God is there and what we have to do is cry out to God in our darkness and he will show us he is there and has been all along.

Joseph must have done this. Despite being betrayed, sold into slavery, falsely accused, imprisoned, forgotten and abandoned, he never seemed to let go of God. In fact as we have seen he prospered and so was able to say to the brothers when they came to Egypt that it was all God’s doing. What the brothers had meant for harm, God had meant for good and the family was saved (Genesis 45: 8). It was in Egypt that they grew from an extended family into a nation (Genesis 46: 3).

There are no circumstances that separate us from God. Paul was convinced of this (Romans 8: 38 – 39) and there is no place we can go no matter how demonised that God is not with us. He is there through thick and thin and his goodness never fails. The devil may try to persuade you that God has forgotten you or is testing you with awful circumstances but it is a lie. Difficult times may surely come but God is there with us and Jesus assures us that he has overcome every difficulty (John 16: 33).  He will protect us, show us the way and give us his peace as we trust him to work out his plans and purposes for our lives.