I go to a very contemporary church. It’s youth oriented, and I like that. I’m an original head banger so gospel music doesn’t really do it for me. However, I love praise and worship music. A lot of times I’ll be standing there with my arms raised up, and God’s presence will come over me. However, with the next song, it might not happen. I’ll get disappointed that I don’t feel that glory anymore. It’s hard to realize that other people need to be reached also. It can’t always be about me.
Bible verse James 5:16 states, Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. We are to pray for others. It can’t always be prayers for yourself.
As much as we would like to have all our prayers answered, there are times we need to pray for each other. And there might be people seated around you in church that need your prayers. They also need God’s touch. It might be because they are going through something in their life you’re not aware of, or it could be they are trying to find their way to Him.
If you don’t feel God’s presence all the time, it doesn’t mean He’s not there. He might be working on the person next to you. Say a prayer that whoever He is trying to reach at that moment feels Him. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all could feel the glory of God inside? If our hearts could be filled with His joy? Imagine how much better the world would be.
Next time you feel like God isn’t there with you, look around. He’s there, just busy working on someone else’s heart. Pray that they open up to Him. You’ll be amazed how quickly that “God feeling” comes back.
NOTE: The next two weeks I will have a guest blogger. Mary Manners will be my guest on July 23 and Marianne Evans will be guest blogging on July 30. For those who don’t know them, they are two prolific writers in the Christian community. I know you’ll enjoy what each of them has to say.
Hi Kathryn,
I think the reality is: it’s never about me. I know what you mean, sometimes it seems like God is concentrating all His efforts on the souls around me and I am passed over like the kid who never gets picked to play. But God has no limits and He is working on all of us at the same time.
So, when I get to that place where the most important person to me is the one looking back in the mirror, I need to refocus my attention on Christ. Once my life is filled up and focused on Him, then I find that I continually enjoy the sense of His presence–and can rejoice when I see Him working in the lives of others. 🙂
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12)
In His Grace,
Michael
That is so true. Sometimes it can be hard to refocus, but once we do, peace will prevail.