Finding Faith in God's Hidden Presence

Devotional

Day 1: Valuing God's Presence Through Absence

When God seems distant, it is not a sign of His abandonment but a divine strategy to deepen our appreciation for His presence. By experiencing His absence, we learn to value His presence more profoundly when it returns. This withdrawal is a part of His divine discipline and love, aimed at refining and deepening our relationship with Him. It teaches us the value of His presence, making us aware of our dependence on Him and the preciousness of His nearness. This absence is a reminder that our relationship with God is not to be taken for granted but cherished and nurtured. [07:15]

Isaiah 54:7-8 (ESV): "For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the Lord, your Redeemer.

Reflection: Think of a time when you felt distant from God. How did that experience change your appreciation for His presence when you felt it again? What steps can you take today to cherish His presence more deeply?

Day 2: Recognizing Our Dependence on God's Grace

Our spiritual weaknesses are revealed when God hides His face, reminding us of our dependence on His grace. This humbling experience draws us closer to Him, acknowledging that it is only by His power that we can stand firm. When we struggle to maintain a clear view of God, we are reminded of our utter dependence on His grace to sustain our faith. This realization is not meant to discourage us but to bring us to a place of humility and reliance on God, recognizing that our strength and perseverance come from Him alone. [08:42]

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel weak or inadequate. How can you invite God's grace into that area today, acknowledging your dependence on Him?

Day 3: Remembering Our Past Separation from Christ

Experiencing spiritual darkness serves as a reminder of our past separation from Christ, stirring gratitude and a renewed appreciation for our salvation. This prompts us to return to the Word, prayer, and the cross with fresh fervor. By allowing us to experience spiritual darkness, God reminds us of what it was like to be lost without Christ. This reminder stirs gratitude and a renewed appreciation for the salvation we have received, prompting us to deepen our love for God and His salvation. [09:48]

Ephesians 2:12-13 (ESV): "Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

Reflection: Reflect on your life before knowing Christ. How does remembering your past separation from Him inspire gratitude and a renewed commitment to your faith today?

Day 4: Trusting in God's Faithfulness During Darkness

In times of darkness, we are encouraged to trust in the Lord and rely on Him, knowing that His presence will be restored. This assurance strengthens our faith, as His return is as certain as the dawn following the night. Even when God seems hidden, He remains our hope and will surely return to us. This assurance strengthens our faith, knowing that His presence will be restored, bringing renewal and growth in our spiritual journey. [11:03]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: Consider a current challenge or season of darkness in your life. How can you actively place your trust in God's faithfulness and look forward to His renewed presence?

Day 5: Embracing the Paradox of the Hidden God

The God who hides Himself is the same God we hope in. Understanding this paradox is crucial for maintaining our faith during seasons of spiritual darkness, as it assures us of His eventual return and the renewal of His presence. This paradox challenges us to hold onto hope even when God seems hidden, trusting that He is still at work in our lives. Embracing this truth helps us to remain steadfast in our faith, knowing that God's hiddenness is not a sign of His absence but a part of His divine plan for our growth and renewal. [11:36]

Isaiah 45:15 (ESV): "Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior."

Reflection: How can you embrace the paradox of a God who sometimes hides Himself? What practical steps can you take to maintain hope and faith during these times?

Sermon Summary

In our journey of faith, we often encounter moments when God seems distant, when His presence feels hidden from us. This experience, though perplexing, is not uncommon and is addressed in both the Old and New Testaments. God never forsakes His people, yet He sometimes withdraws the sweetness of communion with Him. This withdrawal is not a sign of His wrath, for Christ has absorbed all of God's wrath on our behalf. Instead, it is a part of His divine discipline and love, aimed at refining and deepening our relationship with Him.

One reason God may hide His face is to teach us the value of His presence. By withdrawing it temporarily, we learn to cherish His presence more deeply when it returns. This absence makes us aware of our dependence on Him and the preciousness of His nearness. Another reason is to reveal our own weaknesses. When we struggle to maintain a clear view of God, we are reminded of our utter dependence on His grace to sustain our faith. This humbling experience draws us closer to Him, acknowledging that it is only by His power that we can stand firm.

Additionally, God may allow us to experience spiritual darkness to remind us of what it was like to be lost without Christ. This reminder stirs gratitude and a renewed appreciation for the salvation we have received. It prompts us to return to the Word, prayer, and the cross with a fresh fervor, deepening our love for God and His salvation.

In these seasons of darkness, we are encouraged to trust in the Lord and rely on Him, as Isaiah 50:10 advises. Though God may hide His face, He remains our hope and will surely return to us as the dawn follows the night. This assurance strengthens our faith, knowing that His presence will be restored, bringing renewal and growth in our spiritual journey.

Key Takeaways

1. God's withdrawal of His presence is not a sign of abandonment but a divine strategy to deepen our appreciation for His nearness. By experiencing His absence, we learn to value His presence more profoundly when it returns. [07:15]
2. Our spiritual weaknesses are revealed when God hides His face, reminding us of our dependence on His grace. This humbling experience draws us closer to Him, acknowledging that it is only by His power that we can stand firm. [08:42]
3. Experiencing spiritual darkness serves as a reminder of our past separation from Christ, stirring gratitude and a renewed appreciation for our salvation. This prompts us to return to the Word, prayer, and the cross with fresh fervor. [09:48]
4. In times of darkness, we are encouraged to trust in the Lord and rely on Him, knowing that His presence will be restored. This assurance strengthens our faith, as His return is as certain as the dawn following the night. [11:03]
5. The God who hides Himself is the same God we hope in. Understanding this paradox is crucial for maintaining our faith during seasons of spiritual darkness, as it assures us of His eventual return and the renewal of His presence. [11:36]
** [11:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - Introduction to the Question
[00:39] - God's Presence and Withdrawal
[01:20] - Exploring the Reasons
[02:05] - Hymn Discrepancies
[03:34] - Understanding God's Hiddenness
[04:33] - God's Delight and Discipline
[05:37] - Biblical References to Discipline
[06:36] - Seasons of Spiritual Darkness
[07:15] - Reason 1: Valuing God's Presence
[08:42] - Reason 2: Revealing Our Weakness
[09:48] - Reason 3: Remembering Our Past
[10:49] - Trusting in Darkness
[11:21] - Hope in the Hidden God
[12:03] - Conclusion and Next Steps

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading

Isaiah 50:10 - "Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God."
Proverbs 3:12 - "For the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights."
Ephesians 2:12 - "Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ."

Observation Questions

According to the sermon, what are some reasons God might choose to hide His face from believers? [01:51]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between God's discipline and His delight in His children? [05:22]
What does the sermon suggest is the purpose of experiencing spiritual darkness in relation to our past separation from Christ? [09:48]
How does the sermon use Isaiah 50:10 to encourage believers during times of spiritual darkness? [10:49]

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean for God to hide His face, and how does this concept challenge or affirm your understanding of God's presence? [01:34]
How does the sermon explain the role of spiritual darkness in teaching us the value of God's presence? [07:15]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that spiritual darkness can reveal our weaknesses and dependence on God's grace? [08:42]
How does the assurance of God's return, as certain as the dawn, impact a believer's faith during times of darkness? [11:03]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt God's presence was distant. How did that experience affect your faith, and what did you learn from it? [01:51]
How can you actively cherish God's presence in your daily life, especially after experiencing a period of spiritual darkness? [07:15]
Identify a personal weakness that has been revealed during a time when God seemed distant. How can you rely on God's grace to address this weakness? [08:42]
In what ways can you remind yourself of the gratitude and appreciation for your salvation, especially when you feel spiritually distant from God? [09:48]
How can you apply the encouragement from Isaiah 50:10 to trust in the Lord during your current or future seasons of spiritual darkness? [10:49]
Consider the paradox of hoping in a God who sometimes hides Himself. How does this understanding influence your relationship with God? [11:36]
What practical steps can you take to return to the Word, prayer, and the cross with fresh fervor during times of spiritual darkness? [10:19]

Sermon Clips

so god never forsakes his people but he sometimes withdraws from them the sweetness of communion with him he hides his face as the psalmist says in about a dozen places and his question is why would god do that to his own children but first let me make the case that he already accepts he doesn't need me to make the case but my guess is some of our listeners are saying really yeah [00:01:40]

in the way god relates to his people god is never wrathful toward his forgiven justified redeemed loved secure children christ has absorbed all of god's wrath and we have passed out of death into life we have moved beyond judgment because the death of christ is our condemnation we don't bear it anymore [00:04:41]

the lord reproves him whom he loves as a father the son in whom he delights that's amazing we reprove the very son in whom we delight and in the new testament hebrews the book of hebrews quotes that very proverb in reference to the suffering of christians and says have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons [00:05:43]

and that discipline sometimes includes seasons of spiritual darkness when god turns his face away for example turns his face away from answering our prayer like james 4 3 you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions in other words i'm looking away from that prayer your attitude and your your motives are so corrupt [00:06:33]

he does it to teach us the value of his precious presence by withdrawing it for a season ephesians 1 18 paul prays for the ephesians that the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened to know god he's praying for christians because the brightness and the light of god's preciousness is not always as clear as it should be or as that we we want it to be [00:07:30]

to teach us our own weakness in holding fast to christ and keeping a clear view of his face our weakness to keep a clear view of his face so that we are humbled and made to realize how utterly dependent we are on god to keep his face before our hearts eyes that's why paul's praying it's god's doing [00:08:35]

i think he does this to remind us what it was like to be lost without christ in ephesians 2 12 paul commands us remember that you were at that time separated from christ he never wants us to forget what a wonder it is that god has revealed his beautiful face to us removed separation stepped in lifted the veil made his face bright to us in the gospel [00:09:45]

from time to time he allows us to taste that former darkness so that we will come trembling back to the word and prayer and the cross and lay hold on god in a fresh way and love our salvation more than ever so my prayer for all of you all our friends who listen to these programs is that when you walk through such a season [00:10:22]

let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the lord and rely on his god because as hosea 6 3 says his going out is sure as the dawn he will come to us as the showers as the spring rains that water the earth so good isaiah is super helpful and important here [00:10:56]

the god who hides himself from us is the same god we hope in we've got to get that right it's important thank you pastor john and thank you for joining us today you can ask a question of your own search our growing archive or subscribe to the podcast all at desiringgod.org forward slash ask pastor john [00:11:36]

and that discipline sometimes includes seasons of spiritual darkness when god turns his face away for example turns his face away from answering our prayer like james 4 3 you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions in other words i'm looking away from that prayer your attitude and your your motives are so corrupt [00:06:33]

he does it to teach us the value of his precious presence by withdrawing it for a season ephesians 1 18 paul prays for the ephesians that the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened to know god he's praying for christians because the brightness and the light of god's preciousness is not always as clear as it should be or as that we we want it to be [00:07:30]

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Finding Faith in God's Hidden Presence

Devotional

Day 1: Valuing God's Presence Through Absence

Day 2: Recognizing Our Dependence on God's Grace

Day 3: Remembering Our Past Separation from Christ

Day 4: Trusting in God's Faithfulness During Darkness

Day 5: Embracing the Paradox of the Hidden God

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Finding Faith in God's Hidden Presence

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