The Bible Speaks - God Where Are You?

[00:00:37] Welcome to The Bible Speaks with your host Elgin Carelock. The Bible Speaks is a daily podcast dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, rightly dividing the word of truth and learning how to apply it to our daily lives. You may contact Elgin at the address given at the end of the broadcast. And now here's Elgin.

[00:01:02] Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of our risen Savior, Jesus the Christ, to another edition of The Bible Speaks, where we're studying God's word together. Today's discussion is titled, God, Where Are You?

[00:01:24] Our scriptural inspiration comes from Proverbs 8, verse 17. And reading from the New International Version, it reads,

[00:01:35] I love those who love me, and those who seek me, find me. That is a powerful word for the times we're living in. When you look around at this world, it can feel like everything's out of control. There's human trafficking, drug overdoses, wars, economic uncertainty, inflation, violence,

[00:02:02] and a level of selflessness that often seems to have no concern for the suffering of others. It's not hard to understand why some people ask, God, where are you? But the truth is, God has not disappeared. He's still present, still speaking, still loving, and still responding to those who truly seek him. Let us pray.

[00:02:58] Let us pray.

[00:03:30] He places a holy discomfort in your spirit when you're about to go the wrong way. But if we're honest, we don't always listen. Our intellect talks back. Our flesh convinces us that we already know enough. Our emotions drown out the whispers of the Holy Spirit.

[00:03:50] So sometimes, God allows us to be taught through demonstration. And those demonstrations often look like what we call trials. That connects to what we call trials. That connects to what we call trials.

[00:04:08] Trials are not always a sign that God is angry. Sometimes they're a sign that God is trying to get your attention, redirect our steps, deepen our dependence, and move us into greater alignment with his will. Now, let's be clear. Now, let's be clear. Not everything painful that touches your life was specifically sent to you.

[00:04:31] We live in a fallen world. People make sinful decisions. Systems are broken. Bodies fail. Hearts break. Sometimes you suffer in the ripple effect of a life in the world that is far from God's design.

[00:04:49] Jesus said in John 16 and 33. In this world, you will have trouble. He did not say might. He said you will. But he also said, take heart. I have overcome the world.

[00:05:06] That means trouble is real. But so is God's presence. And when tragedy comes, especially something as painful as a loss of a loved one, we should be careful not to speak carelessly. We may not always understand why something happened. We may never fully know all that God is doing in a situation. But this much is true. God does not waste pain.

[00:05:34] He can bring comfort, wisdom, compassion, and ministry out of what the enemy meant for devastation. Second Corinthians 1 and 4 says God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble. That means your grief can become a bridge. Your endurance can become a testimony.

[00:05:59] Your compassion can become healing for someone else. Even while you're still walking through the pain. God can use your honesty, your tenderness, and your faith to pour into the lives of others. So when you ask God, where are you? The answer may be closer than you think. He's in the quiet conviction you ignore it. He's in the word waiting to be opened.

[00:06:29] He's in the strength that kept you from collapsing. He's in the people he sends to pray, help, and to stand with you. He's in the Holy Spirit, giving understanding in moments your mind cannot make sense of. Isaiah 30 verse 21 reads, Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying,

[00:06:56] This is the way. Walk in it. That means God is not absent in chaos. He's guiding you through it. This also connects to angels. Because even in seasons that feel dark and confusing, God is still protecting, covering, and preserving his people in seen and unseen ways. And it connects to filled with power.

[00:07:25] Because we do not survive these seasons by human strength alone. We need the Holy Spirit to give us clarity, endurance, and purpose. So do not let the state of the world make you assume God is gone. Instead, let it drive you deeper into his presence. Seek him in his word. Seek him in prayers. Seek him in fasting.

[00:07:53] Seek him with the expectation that he still speaks, leads, and still loves. Because the question is not only, God, where are you? It's also, am I close enough to hear you? And Proverbs 8 and 17 gives us hope. Those who seek him, find him. Father God, in a world filled with pain and confusion,

[00:08:21] help us not to lose sight of you. When life hurts and our hearts are heavy, remind us that you are still near. Teach us to listen when you speak through inspiration and to grow when you allow demonstration. Bring comfort to those who are grieving, peace to those who are afraid, and clarity to those who are searching for direction. Let every trial draw us closer to you,

[00:08:50] and let the Holy Spirit show us how to use even our hardest moments to bring you glory and serve others with love. In Jesus Christ's name we pray. Amen. I thank you for spending time with me on today, and I look forward to our conversation next Sunday. Until then, God bless.

[00:09:14] The Bible Speaks is sponsored by C Squared Realty and New Gen Construction Group to help spread the gospel to the corners of the earth. If anything you've heard poured into your life, please share it with someone. You can find The Bible Speaks on Spotify,

[00:09:42] Amazon Music, Deezer, and many more. Follow us on YouTube at The Bible Speaks Online. You may contact Elgin at P.O. Box 5582, Ocala, Florida 34478, or by email at TheBibleSpeaksOnline.com.