The Journey Back To God February 3, 2014
It’s Monday, and I feel like I’m collapsing insideunder the cumulative weight of a dozen different problems that have added up tobecome one gargantuan spiritual crisis. Everywhere I turn, things lookdisastrous. Fast-forward three days to Thursday, and it’s hardly recognizableas the same life. There, see me? Yep, I’m the dude whistling as he trots up thesidewalk to the office. Why the drastic change? Well, it was a combination ofcauses.
First, I got in the word, because I know that “the lawof the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul” (Ps 19:7). Moses said it just like Iexperience it: “it is no empty word for you, but your very life” (Dt. 32:47).If I don’t get in the word when I’m struggling, I’m dead! In fact, most of mystruggles start precisely because I’ve been neglecting the word.
Second, people got in my face. Well, not just “people”;rather, people who know me well and love me anyway. And with their God-centeredwords and God-filled lives, they brought me back to a Godward orientation. Notall of what they said was fun to hear, but I guess that’s because salt usuallystings as it cleanses: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt”(Col 4:6).
Third, I surrendered. God had been asking forsomething, I knew it, and I just wasn’t going there. And so that lead-balloonfeeling in my gut began to intensify. I resisted pretty well until the steelgirders of my soul—hope, joy, peace—were twisting and cracking from the stress.The inexpressible relief and buoyant feeling when I finally surrendered waslike… well, (to alter the image a bit) it was kind of like the pleasure you getwhen you finally stop smashing your thumb with a hammer.
And fourth, I worshipped. Psalm 73 provides one of myfavorite biblical illustrations of the stabilizing power of glimpsing God inworship. Asaph’s soul is reeling from doubt and confusion in the first half ofthe Psalm, but in the last half he’s all fixed up. The change comes in verses16-17: “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me, till Ientered the sanctuary of God.” And what was significant about entering thesanctuary? It’s where Asaph saw God.
It’s a great promise, isn’t it? “Draw near to God, and Hewill draw near to you” (James 4:8).