Being Alone with God: Watch Out!

“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.” Matthew 10:38 (The Message)

Oswald Chambers in “Being Alone with God” points out “it was the twelve disciples who asked him questions and who were puzzled about what was happening.”

It’s in the one-on-one times where we find what we need. “He gets us alone through heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, broken friendships or a new friendship.” Oswald Chambers

It’s when we are all alone in a struggle and no-one else “gets it” no matter how close they are to us; it’s only us that can feel what we feel. But if we seek after God in these times we learn more about His tenderness, caring and willingness to provide (if we let Him) than at any other time. It can’t be explained until it happens―this sounds like an exaggeration, but it’s real. We can’t draw closer until we’re to that place where we are willing to let go of all the stuff that holds us. Things like pre-conceived ideas of what we think our future looks like, relationships that are built on the wrong foundations, the self that has got us into the messes in the first place. It’s those places of self-will and “kingship” of our own lives that doesn’t allow room for God to work. I have heard it said “God only goes where He’s invited. He doesn’t force himself on anyone.” But on invitation- - - watch out! Things will begin to happen and your world will be rocked as re-building takes place. He has a plan for us and it is good, but there may be areas that need dismantling in order to bring good out of it. This is why aloneness with God in so necessary. It is in that time (devotions, quiet time, and Bible study) that He builds up trust with us as He is working so we don’t get discouraged and give up.

The disciples didn’t understand all that was happening, but we have the books and letters written by them about what they learned from it all. They shook the world with what they’d learned and passed it along. Can we expect any less?

Fiona Monaghan