James: A Faith that Works

Have you ever felt like God has abandoned you? Like no matter how much you pray and ask for His guidance, you never seem to get an answer? If you’ve experienced this, take comfort. As Christians, even when life seems uncertain, we can always know God is with us (Matthew 28:20)! Consider the sun in the sky. No matter what, it’s always there, shining brightly. It may be shining on the other side of the world, or maybe it’s hidden by clouds and rain. But just because we may not be able to see the sun at times, that doesn’t mean it’s not there. And even when the sun is shining on the other side of the world, it still doesn’t leave us totally in the dark. The otherwise dark and lifeless moon reflects the sun’s glow, giving us a beautiful night-light. In the same way, God never leaves His children in Christ. You may not be able to see or hear Him, but that doesn’t mean He has abandoned you. Sometimes Satan uses cloudy experiences in our lives to make us feel less important and further away from our Creator. But that is a lie. God uses everything we face the good, bad, easy, and difficult timesto work His good kingdom purposes for us, ultimately making us more like Jesus and never leaving us alone during the process (Romans 8:28-30). Sometimes, when we think God is silent, He’s actually answering our prayer with a “no” or “wait.” While God’s answers to our prayers aren’t always an automatic “yes,” He does answer every one of them. If you’re experiencing a cloudy time right now, you may feel like giving up or like God doesn’t love you anymore, but nothing could be further from the truth! Remember, just like the sun is always in the sky, spreading its light to the world, God is always with us through the Holy Spirit. He is never far away, and His love and grace abound toward His people as He works all things for good. Elena Ketner Have you ever been faced with a cloudy experience in your life when you felt far from God? What are some ways to help remember God is always there, even though we may not see Him? For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (CSB)

Read Verses:

James 1:19-27; 2:14-26