Day 14......You' re not alone

Howdy folks:

Have you ever felt what this chapter is describing? If you haven't......you will. If you have, you will again. I know many people. I try to treat everyone the same. I don't look down upon others based on who they are, were, or based upon what they have, or don't have. So I guess you could say I have many friends. I love, therefore I'm loved. But one thing I realize. I can be friendly with many folks, and have many friends, but the ones who are closest to me know everything about me. The friendships I value the most are with folks to whom I'm accountable. They love me enough that they aren't going to let me slide down into the muck. No, they're going to bring stuff to my attention......even things I may want them to mind their own darn business about. Hehehehehe. I see that the Lord is that type of friend. He loves me so much that He's not going to leave me alone. I used to count on what I could feel. But I realized that feelings will lie to you. It's not about feeling, it's about KNOWING! If you can see it, it's not faith. Oh it's easy to believe something you can see, feel, and touch. But when there's a quiet time.....a time when it seems like you're on your own. It's then that we have to trust His word.......not our feelings. Remember when Jesus told His disciples (as they entered a boat), "We're going to the other side." Jesus got into the boat and went below to go sleep. Shortly thereafter a storm arose and shook the boat with great winds and rain. They went below to wake Jesus and said something really intelligent to Him like, "Lord don't you care that we're dying out here!" He woke up and rebuked the wind and rain.....and immediately they were on the other side. (You can read that for yourselves in Luke 8:22-25) I think that was probably a test of whether or not they were going to believe His word or not. He even rebuked them for their lack of faith. I could be wrong, but that's what it seems like. Many times we feel as if Jesus is asleep in the bottom of the boat. We want to go shake Him awake and let Him know that the boat is in danger of falling apart. He's already told us that He would never leave us nor forsake us. The bible says that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Now for the question.......

"How can I stay focused on God's presence, especially when He feels distant?"

By confessing that He is with me whether I feel Him or not. We all want to jump from mountaintop to mountaintop spiritually. But we fail to realize that in order for their to be mountains........there must be valleys in between. We can't hang glide from one mountaintop to the other. Besides......going through the valleys prepares us for the mountaintop experiences and makes them that much sweeter. What say you? :-) James