He Was There All The Time
Can you recall a time when you drifted away from God? Maybe a major life change shifted your focus. It could have been a new job, marriage, or a change in your family dynamic. Or it may have been a traumatic situation — the loss of a loved one, a home, a job, a divorce, or a health scare.
Whatever the situation, it required one thing of you: a response.
Ultimately, our response is one of two things — a simple reflection of the heart:
Heavenly Father, Your will be done. or My own will be done… in this situation.
How did you respond to the last major life change or challenge in your life? Did you allow the weight of it to overwhelm you? Did your emotions guide and dictate your decisions? Did you question or blame God for the outcome?
I’ve personally seen how a new job opportunity can cause us to drift away from God. A 40‑hour week turns into a 60‑hour week — managerial responsibilities, monthly travel, early mornings, late nights, and weekends. We can turn a God‑thing into our good thing, and eventually it becomes more of a priority than anything else. Slowly, a gulf forms between us and God.
Over time, you begin to realize what has happened as you spiritually, physically, and emotionally feel the distance you’ve moved away from Him.
At some point, we all discover the same truth: God never moved — we did.
QUESTION: What was God doing while we were drifting? Did He turn His back on you? Or did He keep His loving eyes on you? Did you sense His care and concern even though you walked away? And at what point did you realize He was there all along — waiting for you to return?
There’s a song I listened to as a child — one that still ministers to me today — called “He Was There All the Time” by Rev. James Moore. The song says, “The Lord was there all the time — waiting patiently in line.”
While we try everything life and the world has to offer, God stands waiting for us to reach out to Him.
I want to encourage you: be intentional about how you respond to everyday life. Each moment, each experience is an opportunity to allow God’s will to be done rather than your own.
What a beautiful testimony you’ll have — showing and telling others that life does not dictate your responses or decisions… God does. Be at peace knowing that God is standing and waiting for you to choose Him over E‑V‑E‑R‑Y‑T‑H‑I‑N‑G. Rest in knowing He wants to be involved in every aspect of your life and has a plan that will absolutely blow your mind.
Next week, I’ll be sharing God’s response when we return to Him.