“Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.” (Proverbs 14:13 NLT)
Yesterday’s post ended with this sentence: “These are seasons of decision. Will I trust the Lord to draw me out of this mire of indifference and distance from Himself, or will He allow me to continue to drift from Him?”
Let’s begin today with a couple of observations: First, with some exceptions, God allows us to do whatever we want to do, for good or evil, but our drifting doesn’t change God’s heart toward us. His love isn’t less and He’s still closer to us than the air we breathe. We can’t push God away, it’s humanly impossible, but we can “distance” ourselves from Him through the determinations of our own heart.
Distance from the Lord is an act of the will, not a consideration of literal measurement. I distance myself from Him every time I choose my will over His; when I make decisions that exalt me over Him, when I focus the purposes of my heart and mind on evil over good. That’s the nature of being a human being. Salvation doesn’t draw us closer to the Lord, it cleanses our heart and mind to enable us to recognize He’s where He’s always been.
The idea of backsliding has nothing to do with God’s attitude toward or awareness of us; it has everything to do with our attitude toward and awareness of Him. In my mind, as I understand, not just the Bible, but the heart of God, walking away from God is a decision that incrementally closes our heart and mind to God’s presence, thus, damaging and diminishing our life in Him and effectiveness for Him?
Does that mean we won’t go to heaven? I’m not the judge of that and, fortunately, no matter how strongly you believe you should be, neither are you. When someone walks away it’s easy to say: “Well, they must have never been saved.” But to me that’s a copout. Are you telling me I have the will and right to come to God, but not to walk away?
God makes the rules, we must abide by them. All I know is my hunger for God grows with every day I walk with Him. It’s literally impossible for me to conceive of someone who could have once sincerely and genuinely walked with God to walk away, but at the same time, I’ve experienced life altering events in my life: death of loved ones and close friends, divorce, deception, unimaginable suffering in people’s lives that have soured them to the thought of God. Their experiences have clouded and distorted their view of God.
Satan is a liar, deceiver, and a pro at taking negative and painful times in our lives and turning the blame onto God. There’s a part of me that understands why someone would walk away from God, but not if they really know who He is and what He’s done for them.
The bottom line for me is I don’t really know why people walk away and stay away from the Lord of heaven, but I know the Lord knows and it doesn’t change His love for them in any way. His love is just as strong and His grace just as available, but He won’t force us to love Him and live for Him. He will not force us to walk with Him against our will. At that point we’d cease to be His children and become His puppets.
The uncertainty of the future causes me to snuggle up even closer to Him, because not knowing what lies ahead for me only creates in me a greater desire to hold more tightly to the One who DOES know my future.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 