Just in case you didn’t know, God has a sense of humor. And just in case you were wondering, He wants to play Hide and Seek. Yup, you heard me; Hide and Seek. It’s been a long time since you’ve played that, hasn’t it?
Has God been elusive to you lately? He has me. He’s been strangely quiet. He’s provoking us. He’s provoking us to seek Him and then to seek Him more; to seek Him differently, more earnestly, like a child, as if you’re actually going to find Him.
Do you believe that? Do you believe that it’s possible to actually find God and have a powerful encounter with Him? I do. Well, I did, until life got busy and until I didn’t have time anymore just to sit and be still. I guess I didn’t stop believing that more than I just stopped making the time to do it. I forgot what I was missing.
God is provoking me back to seeking Him; not seeking a job, or an income or provision, not seeking friendships; just seeking Him. What have you been seeking, first and foremost? It’s a little tricky to discern that about ourselves. Isn’t it? Maybe this will help. What has been sparking the most frustration in you lately? Is it the fact that God has been quiet lately or the fact that God has not given you the spouse you want or the job you want or the whatever you want? Have you been focused on your wants or on just being with God?
The Lord says,
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33 (NKJV)
You know what? Whether or not you believe that you’ll actually find God when seeking Him, determines how you will seek Him. If you don’t actually believe that you can encounter God, you won’t seek Him with your whole heart. You’ll only look for Him casually, halfheartedly; when you have time and when it’s convenient. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And you will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.” We will only find God when we search for Him wholeheartedly; as if we want and expect to find Him.
Have you ever played Hide and Seek and given up trying to find someone because they’ve just hidden too well? I remember playing with my kids when they were really little. We’d hide in the most obvious places and we’d make little noises to help direct them to where we were, just so they wouldn’t give up and that we’d be found by them. We loved their little squeals of delight when we would suddenly grab them after being found. Their curious, inquisitive eyes would peer around a corner in anticipation, suddenly meet ours and bursts of joy would erupt from both parties.
That’s kind of like how God is I think. He delights in us seeking Him and finding Him. He delights in encountering us, just as much as we enjoy encountering Him. So don’t give up. Keep seeking and keep pressing in. Keep listening, keep your eyes open and have some fun while you’re at it!
I wonder how my seeking God will look differently this time around. Hmm? I think that perhaps God is hiding in a different place than before and in a place where I would least expect to find Him.