Livin' in the desert.

There's this thing many of us Christians don’t like to acknowledge: the desert season. When you can do all the right things. Be in Church, read your bible, raise your hands in worship.. but you feel like God’s not there. You feel like no matter how long and you cry out, God’s not gonna show. You feel almost, abandoned and deserted.

Most people, when this happens, are ashamed or embarrassed in a way. They feel like they can’t let other people know where their spiritual life is, because if they do? They are some how disproving their faith in Christ. 

I don’t think that’s how we were designed react within the body of Christ.

So often the Churches today make these people feel like they’re doing something wrong. Like somehow, they aren’t being “Christian” enough.

That’s such a lie. SUCH a lie.

Why?
The Christian life isn’t about the feelings.
It’s about obedience. (Romans 2:13)
It’s about realizing and accepting the sacrifice and the torture on the Cross for US. (John 3:16)
It’s about chasing after Christ with everything in you, even when you don’t feel it. (1 Peter 1:6-9)
It’s about looking around you and seeing people through the eyes of Christ. (Hebrews 12:12)
It’s about lavishing love on people in the times when we don’t feel loved. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

The Christian life was not about always crying during the time of worship: it’s about the one who is making you cry.

Sometimes, God gives us a season where He doesn’t respond purposefully in order to mature us. To test out faith. To build our spiritual life up to be able to withstand any other conflict. 

Just because we don’t feel Him, doesn’t mean He isn’t there.
Just because we can’t hear Him, doesn’t mean He stopped speaking.

Time’s in the desert are going to result in one of two options.

1. A victory in Christ that has already been one because of your faithfulness in times when faith is all you held on to.
2. A lifetime of chasing after something to take the place of the God who destined us for a life a greatness in Him.

How do you overcome? 
You don’t. Christ already has.
As I’m writing this, there’s a group of guys praying together nearby. One of them just prayed:


“Do not give us any desires, until we give everything up.”

Have you given everything up for the cause of Christ?
Or are you trying to chase down a God while hanging onto your own life?


We have no life apart from life in Christ. 
That is why we go through times of being in a desert.

To realize our life in Christ.

"You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation."

-1 Peter 1:8,9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79055I6o-NQ




See Christ all around you.