About a year ago, I wrote a post about how to get God’s attention. Let’s flip it around today and look at how God gets our attention and what He wants to do with it once He has it.
In the book of Haggai, the temple lies in ruins while the people give their attention to their own houses. Read it here–it’s only two chapters.
God’s response is to withhold His blessing from His people. They plant, but harvest little. They eat, but never have enough. They drink, but are never filled. Their clothes don’t keep them warm. And they earn wages, but it’s like putting money into a purse with holes in it.
Have you ever been there? It feels like no matter what you do–things don’t improve. Just when it looks like things might be getting better–they get worse. You do all you know to do, but it’s not enough.
If you’re like me, it’s about that time you start shaking your fist at God. “Come on, God! A little cooperation here would be nice! Can’t You see how hard I’m trying?”
And knowing God could help us out by changing our circumstances whenever He wants to only makes us feel worse.
Before I go on, let me say that sometimes bad things just happen. We slip on the ice and break an arm. We look before pulling into traffic, but somehow don’t see the car that plows into us. Or we get sick through no fault of our own. Bad stuff happens in a fallen world.
Sometimes though, God uses unpleasant circumstances to get our attention. I don’t want to get into a discussion of whether He creates the difficulties or just allows them–the point is that He uses them.
Through the prophet Haggai, God speaks to the people and tells them to start building a new temple. For too long, they’d been concerned only with their own homes. They’d missed what was on God’s heart.
Toward the end of chapter 1, God says, “I am with you.”
Let’s stop there for a moment. When you’re going through a difficult season, would there be anything more powerful to hear than God say, “I am with you“?
That’s a game-changing declaration. I am with you.
The people went to work on the temple and less than a month later, God speaks to them again. He tells them to be strong and work, then adds, “For I am with you. This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.”
They’d gone their own way and done their own thing and God got their attention through some difficult circumstances. Once they laid aside their own agenda and got to work on God’s, He reminded them that He was with them and they didn’t need to fear.
I don’t know the cause of your difficulties today. As I look back on some of mine, I, like the nation of Israel, brought many of them on myself by going my own way. Some were probably the result of simply living in a fallen world. And some were probably orchestrated by God to teach me, correct me or redirect me. Regardless of the reason though–God used them to get my attention.
Why difficulties? I think we all know that answer. When things are good–money in the bank, relationships are strong, excellent health, fulfilling work to do–we tend to drift away. We don’t feel dependent on God. We easily begin to place our comfort and pleasure ahead of God’s desires. Bottom line: God doesn’t have our full attention.
Maybe your current circumstances aren’t what you wanted. You’re not even sure how you got to where you are. Don’t be angry though. Don’t give into fear. Just give God your full attention.
No matter what you’re facing, God is with you. Jesus will never fail you nor forsake you. Nothing will ever separate you from the love of Christ.
Could it be that He’s using this current season of difficulty to get your attention so He can use you for His purposes and lead you into a new season of blessing?