How are you this week? I’m praying for you in these days and want to share that God is still on His throne, He still has incredible plans for your future and yes, He still loves you!
Love?
Yes, I said love and I brought it up because it’s something that’s been on my heart for a while and then during prayer time, my wife brought it up. I was so convicted over an issue about love that the Holy Spirit prompted me to share with you.
Do you recall the song You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling by the Righteous Brothers? Of course, we all do. Well, I’ve struggled with my feelings for God over the last weeks. I just can’t seem to get connected like I was when this global fiasco began.
I’ve gone days without reading the Bible and where Leah and I prayed first thing every morning and last thing each night, there had been so many days where it just wasn’t happening. Of course, I knew God had not abandoned me, but I wasn’t sure where that supernatural electricity had gone.
Doomscrolling
Have you found yourself wasting hours each day scrolling through Facebook and then more time talking about it with anyone willing to engage? There is a phenomenon linked to social media that involves the process of mindlessly scrolling and consuming bad news. It has amplified exponentially since the pandemic, and then the murder of George Floyd and still as America is under attack by domestic terrorists.
Remember that what you focus on is what you magnify. I’m guilty of it too. I purposely make myself shut it down because I’d gotten where checking the mainstream media news took the place of my reading the Good News of the Gospel. We have to be intentional in what choices we make these days. There is very little room for error of judgement.
Growing Cold
Matthew 24 was what the Holy Spirit stamped on my heart the night Leah and I were praying about our love problem. Not love for each other, but feeling a cold distance from God. Please take the time to read all of 24, and here’s the link to read it. The verse that stuck was 24:12-13:
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
I’ve become so consumed with what’s going on with our nation’s law enforcement officers, the politicians and a fringe radical public calling to defund the police that the reality of increased lawlessness had been what I was focusing on, and thus had been magnified. The attention-grabbing headlines and news reports had caused me to stop leaning into my loving relationship with God.
I’m convinced most of us are experiencing the very same spiritual distraction thanks to this period of public corruption and destruction. Most churches still have not opened and are causing resentment from faithful congregants as they feel their faith leaders have abandoned them. Check out the article I wrote about this very thing – Click to Read It.
Honestly, many people have walked back from their church and the friends they once enjoyed doing life together with through attending services and small groups. Pre-recorded sermons aren’t being watched because we’ve tuned into national news about statues toppled, cops killed and cities occupied.
No relationship can remain healthy and vibrant if we’re disconnected and distracted. God has not abandoned us, but we’ve set Him on a shelf while we’ve got eyes glued to the tube.
Rekindling
It’s time to take a break from the daily feed of doomscrolling. You may not even realize you’re doing it, but I assure you that you are. It’s not too late to kick start your connection with God. The Holy Spirit is with you and waiting for you to open the door (Revelation 3:20) but you are the one who must allow Him into your life. He’s not going to kick the door down.
Try this for two days! As soon as you wake up, take a moment and simply whisper, “Good morning Holy Spirit.” Yep, that’s it. Then, instead of grabbing your phone to see what you missed, try lingering in the spirit for a moment. Once you’ve set the tone, try to remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s presence throughout that day. You’ll feel His nudging to get your attention.
Love is not an emotion. Love is a choice. People say they just don’t feel God in their life because they are waiting for some tingling feel good sensation. This isn’t the time for childish excuses for avoiding God. Check out the second half of the scripture I referenced from Matthew 24:
13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
The One Who Endures! This wilderness season is a marathon and takes endurance to sustain our relationship with God. Don’t grow weary because you’ve cast your energies toward social media propaganda and ran out of gas for pursuing Jesus Christ.
Your Decision
You know God has a calling on your life. There is a new anointing waiting for you on the other side of struggle. Stay focused by making daily decisions to remain close to God instead relying on the inconsistency of your emotions. You will be blessed beyond anything you’ve ever know. God has a plan for your life – He says so!
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
~ Jeremiah 29:11
God bless you and I’m praying for you!
Scott
