How do we "see God" in all situations?

 

Matthew 5:8

8 "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

I've always heard this scripture taught from a futuristic standpoint. In other words, If we become/stay pure in heart, we will one day see God when he calls us home and tells us "well done." And I'm not here to refute that interpretation.

But, what if there's more to it than meets the eyes? Are there things we can do that will enable us to not only see God on that future day but that will also enable us to "see God" working within whatever situation we find ourselves in daily? 

And I'm not referring to just the everyday acts of kindness that show God's hand working through us. While it is true that when we "feed the hungry, visit and pray for/with the downtrodden, etc" then we are showing the love of God in action to a lost and dying world. This is not the "see God" I'm talking about.

I'm talking about seeing God on a much more personal level.

This famous scripture that has blessed and encouraged so many people can also become an impediment for some. 

Why? 

Because many do not look at it and say, "If I can just hold onto Jesus, I'll see him one day in the end (meaning when I die or am raptured out of here)." 

No, many read this scripture in the light of the world that they live in right now- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. 

Many look around at the chaos in the world, the violence in the world, the utter dog eat dog attitude that is embraced by the "it's all about me" philosophy that seems to run everything and think: If there's a God, I sure don't see him in all of this! 

In truth, many Christians (including myself) have reacted similarly. We find ourselves dealing with struggles (lack of finances, relationship issues, sickness, stress, death, and so on) and we look around and wonder. 

We wonder "where is God in all this? I thought he said he'd never leave me or forsake me? I sure feel forsaken and alone. It's all I can do to try and hold everything together. I've got no help. I've got to work harder to shape my world into what it's supposed to be." 

There's a frustration pattern there that all humans fall into:

 

A) We focus on our problems.

B) Frustration sets in.

C) We start trying to figure out solutions to solve them.

D) We act on our plans.

E) When our plans fail (as most do because we are fallible humans), we reevaluate our plans to tweak them in order to fix what went wrong.

F) We act on the adjusted plans.

G) We focus on the problems that still exist.

H) More frustration sets in. 

I) Repeat steps B-H (probably many times over)

J) Frustration turns to anger and/or despair.

K) We give up.

But, it's in those times that we need to change our vision. 

We need to stop looking at our difficulties. This is because we tend to walk toward what we are focusing on. And it's very easy to try and fix whatever we're focusing on- including other people. 

We need to stop trying to fix things (and others) and start allowing God to fix us.

It's been said that if you have difficulties no matter where you are then the problem is not where you are, but who you are. YOU are the common denominator in all your life's problems. Put more succinctly, No matter where I go, there I am!

It is true that Jesus told us that in this world we will suffer tribulation. There is a certain amount of things we go through that are a direct result of us living for and being dedicated to Jesus. 

However, many of the things that we go through that cause us suffering are a direct result of our own focus and efforts.  In everything that we go through our true efforts should be on "what does God want in this situation?" 

SEEK YE FIRST

The first thing we have to remember is to seek his kingdom (his desires and his plans for ourselves, our families, and our communities) FIRST.

That's a tall order in and of itself. How do we seek his kingdom in the midst of trying to build our own?

The truth is that we should not try to build our kingdom. Yes, we have needs to take care of. But, Jesus said: 

Matthew 6:7-8:

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."

Our focus tends to be on our needs, wants, and desires. But Jesus says we should be God-focused. 

His needs. His wants. His desires. 

That's not to say that we shouldn't pray for our needs. But, we should focus on what he wants to a much greater degree than we focus on what we want. When we do, then he will take care of our needs in whatever manner he chooses. 

SEEK GOD

But, the first thing we must do in order to seek his kingdom first, is to seek him first. The essence of prayer is not a list of things I want. The essence of prayer is communication and communion with God. When we pray, it is in order to build our relationship with him. The closer we get to him, the less likely we are to fall into that frustration pattern. Why? Because the closer we get to him the more we trust him. The more we trust him, the more we rely on him. The more we rely on him, the less frustrated we become!

AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

This goes along with the fact that the pure in heart shall see God. God is a holy God. He will not walk in close relationship to sin. So in order to see God, we must first become pure. 

Oh, we can see evidence of God in the world through his creation. And, if we're honest, everyone has seen a miracle that could only be God at some point in their lives. In fact, I believe, probably several miracles. I could name several I saw BEFORE I was born again. But, that didn't mean I was right with God. It just meant that God was drawing me in so I could become born again. 

But, to really SEE GOD. To really discern God in all things, we must become pure. 

As humans, that's impossible for us. But, with God, ALL things are possible. 

He became a man, lived a perfect life, allowed himself to be crucified to shed the blood required to pay for all of our sins, was buried, rose up from the grave, and lives forevermore as king of kings and Lord of Lords!

So all who obey Acts 2:38 are made pure and holy in his sight.

If we fall after being born again, scripture tells us that "If we confess our sins (to God) he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us of ALL unrighteousness." - 1John 1:9 

The first thing we must always strive to do is be in and maintain the right relationship with God. 

James 1:21

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

Hebrews 12:1

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"

As we get into the word of God and pray, we must humbly ask God to show us ourselves. And as his word illuminates our faults, rather than try and make excuses for our sins, or rebelliously hold onto our sin and pride, we must turn to him, bend our wills to his, and repent (confess and turn away). When we do that, he forgives those sins (washes them with his blood) and we then stand righteous in his eyes once again. 

The word for engrafted here, in Greek, means implanted. In other words, we are to allow the seeds of his word to be planted in our hearts and minds. These seeds are watered with his word by his spirit and through prayer. So the more they're watered, the more they grow. And the more we humbly submit to his will and allow him to correct us, eventually, we will begin to display in our everyday lives, the "peaceable fruit of righteousness." (Hebrews 12:11) 

Why is all of this important? What does this have to do with seeing God? 

Well, first we practice seeking him and his kingdom, through prayer and study. 

Then, while continuing that, we humbly repent when we are corrected by him. 

Then, whatever situation we find ourselves in, whether good or bad, we will be able to "see God." 

We will have a much better understanding of God and his ways because we are walking in relationship with him and studying his word. We will be able to see his undeniable footprints walking through the situation. And even if we don't understand what's going on, we will trust him to take care of things. 

But, and more importantly, if we absolutely cannot see God working in a trial, we will still have enough faith and trust in God that we probably will not resort to trying to make things work out. We would rather wait on him to move than try and fix it.

Recently, we were in a very grave trial. We were in a situation that absolutely required a move of God to fix. Rather than just live, pray, and trust- only moving when he told me to, we (especially I) tried our hardest through many different possible avenues. The more these avenues didn't pan out, the more frustrated we (especially I) grew. Finally, when every other human effort had failed, THAT IS WHEN GOD MOVED. 

I really had to repent.

All my worry fixed nothing. All my efforts solved nothing. All my anger and frustration just made ME a worse person and had NO effect on the ones causing the problem. Nor did my manipulations cause God to move on my situation one second before he was ready to. 

But, when he did move, it was as if he had leveled a mountain! It was done in a way that only he could arrange and do. 

We can't change our situation without God. 

God's goal for our lives in every situation is to "conform us" into what he wants us to be. 

So every situation and trial we go through is allowed by God for our good and his glory. So, hold to God's unchanging hand, as the old song says!

And always remember as my pastor Stanley Lane quotes:

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. And lean not on thine own understanding, In all thy ways acknowledge him. And he shall direct thy paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6