Expert: Susan Milillo - 1/26/2009

Question
Hello,
I believe in God and Jesus. I am not a strong Christian, but I am in emotional pain right now. Everything seems to be going wrong in my life.I am sad, and I everytime I ask God to help me save me from my troubles he nevers answers or listens! I want God back in my life and be happy. I do not know how to do that anymore...

Answer
Dear Jordan,

    I can hear the pain in your 'voice' almost.   God feels your pain too, even though it seems like He's totally ignoring it.    A verse that I can not quite remember the reference to, but which refers to the Israelite people (who many times were not 'strong' in their own faith in God but apparently the following still applied!) says, "In all their distresses, He too was distressed..."  Whatever touches, or burns, or breaks, your heart, as His child, does the same to His heart.  
    The things you want from God -- are these things He wants for you?  Sometimes God waits until we're thinking along the same lines as Him. If you aren't strong in your walk with Him already, maybe the things you are desiring, or hurting because you lack, are things that aren't in His will for you anyway..?  Just a thought. But there are many reasons why our prayers can seem to go unanswered sometimes, and I don't want to trivialize where you are.      But just think about it, as far as whether or not you're seeking HIS heart in your life.... or mostly wanting His stamp of blessing on whatever _you_ want to do.
Make sure your desires and goals line up with His Word, the Bible.
    I may be very far off target in that suggestion, and I don't wish to cause you any upset to suggest something that may be far from true for you right now. As I said there are many possible explanations.  Sometimes God has something He wants to teach us, and He uses our pain for good somehow. Sometimes He just wants us to just wait for Him.  He says to our prayers 'yes', 'no', or 'wait'. You may have heard that saying before.  But please do write back and let me know anything else going on in your life that would help me to understand better what approach to take with your question.
     And look through the Psalms.  King David was a 'man after God's own heart', but there were times where he was honestly saying to God, 'Where are you?' -- "Why do you hide yourself", etc.   But then always at the end of the psalm he says something like, 'But I know you will deliver me, I know you are the God of mercy and truth.'   

My husband and I prayed for you tonight, Jordan. Hang in there.
God loves you so very much!
Please write again really soon
Love,
SM