Finding God in the Darkest Moments
When our lives are shattered, and we’re desperate for help, it’s natural to wonder if we can even keep going. In those moments, where can we find God? The Bible reveals that God resides in two seemingly opposing places: the lofty heights of his holy realm, where we can’t reach, and the humble depths of the lowly and contrite, where we can connect. However, it’s often challenging to find God in the comfortable middle ground, where wealth and privilege can create a false sense of security.
The False Heaven of Privilege
In this world of luxury and advantage, money can insulate us from trouble and pleasure, making us feel “successful” without needing God. But this false heaven is a trap, reducing Jesus to a mere lifestyle enhancement. He becomes insignificant, no longer high and lifted up, eternal and holy. Isaiah 57:15 revolutionizes our perception of God, changing where we want to live. The verse says, “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
Hope in the Darkness
Good News at Rock Bottom offers hope to those walking through deep sorrow, helping them discover Jesus in the hard experiences of life. Wherever he is, that’s where we’ll find all we truly need. Our Lord is easily found in his heavenly glory, where angels are awestruck by him. He’s also easily found at our rock bottom, where many saints have testified to his presence. But that middle space of worldly desires, crowded with people seeking comfort and status, is where we often struggle to find him.
The Surprising Geography of Faith
King David understood this paradox. When his life was hanging by a thread, he cried out to the Lord, who answered him from his holy hill (Ps. 3:4). This verse paints a vivid picture of God atop holy Mount Zion, 2,500 feet above sea level, while David prayed from the Jordanian Rift, nearly 2,500 feet below sea level – the lowest point on earth. This contrast highlights the depths of David’s plight and the transcendent God who rules over all.
The Real Jesus
Sadly, not every place that claims to be “Christian” will help us. Some might even break our hearts further. But by putting all our hope in the real Jesus, we take our stand. As we descend to God’s dwelling place, he brings real help for real sufferers. Isaiah 57:15 is good news, reminding us that when we’ve lost everything and fear we’re stuck with a Plan B existence, that’s where God dwells.
A Gentle Question
As we stumble into his healing presence, he greets us with a gentle question: “Would you like a hug?” Remember the father who longed for his prodigal son to return home? “His father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). Would you like that hug from your Father?
The Bible’s Hopeful Message
The Bible says God wants to “revive” the spirit of the crushed and devastated, breathing fresh life into us. This message is not exceptional; it’s vintage Bible truth. Throughout the Old Testament, we see God’s nearness to the brokenhearted (Ps. 34:18). Jesus knows what it is to be crushed in spirit, and he welcomes the poor in spirit into his kingdom, congratulating them as winners.
A Staggering Choice
C. S. Lewis reminds us of the choice confronting every one of us: to appear before God and hear either the appalling words, “I never knew you. Depart from me,” or to be called in, welcomed, and received. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3). This “blessed” is not a pious cliché, but a joyous high five, congratulating those who collapse in the Father’s arms.
The Only True Success
Having God near is our only “success” – if that’s even the right word for it. To everyone with enough regrets to know that his grace is their last hope, Jesus opens up the treasures of himself forever. All you need is need – like burning thirst, like unsatisfied desire. Where Christ dwells, your lack is your wealth. Don’t wish it away. Bring it to him. Keep on bringing it to him.
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