It was 1:58 AM, and I was sitting on my bed, working on my laptop. Suddenly, the bed began to shake, and I could hear the sound of the window rattling beside me. It was an earthquake – again. Surely, the Richter scale was high enough for someone like me to notice!
There have been numerous earthquakes, and I usually don’t notice them, except for four specific instances. And of course, those were the severe ones – the ones that came with rattling sounds!
The reason I feel this way is because of Matthew 10:28-31:
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
This incident made me reflect on how we hear from God and what God truly means to us individually.
The Bible tells us that, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18 (NKJV).
God is near to those who draw near to Him. But to draw near to God, you need to understand who He is.
What Is God To You?
In Genesis, God revealed Himself as “I AM.” To someone God is “Jehovah Jireh” – The many breasted One, the One who provides. To someone, God is “Jehovah Nissi’ because He is The banner – The One who brings Victory.
These are the names given to God by others, according to the revelation they have. But what is God to you?
Your answer will depend on how well you know God personally and according to your situation, because ‘God is Your Every Situation’.
I call Him “Jehovah Surprise” because He has surprised me and taken my breath away so many times that I’ve lost count!
Our lives are filled with noise at every turn. Often, these distractions make it hard for us to hear God clearly because we tend to focus on the noise instead of listening for His voice.
It is difficult to hear from God and see Him when you are surrounded by so much noise and distractions, focusing on everything but Him.
Many times, stubbornness makes it hard to hear from Him. I realized, I used to miss His voice like most of the mild earthquakes I’ve missed. I believe might have happened to you too.
In fact, He often has to shake me from the chaos, saying, “Listen to me.” And when that happens, it can feel devastating and yes, it hurts badly!
Naturally, whenever something is about to be birthed – whether it’s the birth of a child or the start of a new venture – you must go through the pain first. Without pain, nothing new can be born.
For example, consider the process of childbirth. Childbirth is one of the most painful experiences. According to pain analysis, the pain of childbirth is equivalent to the pain of 209 broken bones!
When the pain comes, it feels as if you would rather die. You can neither sit, stand, walk, nor lie down. You don’t know what to do. There is no word to express how you feel that time. If you are a mom who’s experienced ‘labor pains’, you know exactly what I mean!
Yet, once the child is born, all the pain vanishes, as if nothing happened. Out of all the pain and chaos, a new, wonderful life is brought forth – an entirely unique creation.
In the same way, even in our most painful and chaotic moments, God knows what is best for us and gives us the best.
In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ” (NKJV).
There is no “what if” with God because He is always in control and knows everything.
Our Faith is shaken many times because God often speaks to us in unexpected ways. His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Whatever happens to us is always for our good, even if we don’t understand it at that time.
Nothing happens by chance or accident. What you are going through right now is part of God’s plan for a new birth, a new creation.
As a matter of fact, without a new birth and creation, you can never fully understand who God really is to you!
But this transformation doesn’t come easily. There is always pain involved when God is changing your situation.
God knows how to elevate you. However, we are constantly engaged in spiritual warfare, which many of us mistake for physical warfare, fighting the wrong battles.
A powerful man of God once said, “If there is no struggle in your spiritual life and everything goes smoothly, do not be happy. Because it means, you are spiritually weak.”
I can’t agree more!
Our spiritual warfare is a daily affair, and if we have no challenges to pray about or seek God’s face on a daily basis, something is wrong in our spiritual life. We are too comfortable, too relaxed in our walk of faith.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to face trouble. But if we can’t even feel burdened for anything as a Christian, or if nothing moves you to seek God, then sadly, you are spiritually dead.
When you are deeply connected with God, your focus changes completely.
Forgiving others became easier. You begin to feel the pain and struggles of others and empathize with them. It will become a burden on your heart to seek God’s face on their behalf!
The purpose of your life will become clear. You will want to live for God, do what He wants you to do and also show the Way to others too. You won’t become self-centered anymore!
That is when you begin to see who God is and what God means to you – not based on what you’ve read or what others say about Him, but from your personal experience and relationship with Him.
So, what is God to you?
I hope you find your answer soon!