God Is Always Present, Regardless of How You Feel

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES The Keys to a Blessed Life

God Is Always Present, Regardless of How You Feel By Rick Warren — Oct 23, 2015 “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” (Job 1:21 NIV) When you are a baby Christian, God gives you a lot of confirming emotions and often answers the most immature, self-centered prayers so you’ll know he exists. But as you grow in faith, he will wean you of these dependencies. God’s omnipresence and the manifestation of his presence are two different things. One is a fact; the other is often a feeling. God is always present, even when you are unaware of him, and his presence is too profound to be measured by mere emotion. Yes, he wants you to sense his presence, but he’s more concerned that you trust him than that you feel him. Faith, not feelings, pleases God. The situations that will stretch your faith most will be those times when life falls apart and God is nowhere to be found. This happened to Job. On a single day he lost everything — his family, his business, his health, and everything he owned. And then, for 37 chapters, God said nothing! How do you praise God when you don’t understand what’s happening in your life and God is silent? How do you stay connected in a crisis without communication? How do you keep your eyes on Jesus when they’re full of tears? You do what Job did: “Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised’” (Job 1:20b-21 NIV). Tell God exactly how you feel. Pour out your heart to him. Unload every emotion that you’re feeling. Job did this when he said, “I can’t be quiet! I am angry and bitter. I have to speak” (Job 7:11 TEV). He cried out when God seemed distant: “Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house” (Job 29:4 NIV). God can handle your doubt, anger, fear, grief, confusion, and questions. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over Who is the person you go to when life gets tough? What do you say to them that you also need to say to God? How is your faith in God on display when you go through a crisis? Why do you think God is more concerned about your faith than your feelings? Our Gift: The Keys to a Blessed Life Study Kit What is the secret to accessing the abundant life God promises? In perhaps the greatest sermon of his ministry, Jesus gives us the keys to the Kingdom; a life of wholeness, happiness, and healing. In this 6-session video study, Pastor Rick Warren examines the Beatitudes and explores the practical steps to lead you to peace and fulfillment in your life, your work, and your relationships. LEARN MORE Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes all complete sermons from the Rick Warren The Keys to a Blessed Life teaching series. LEARN MORE Series Summary Message 1: It Depends Who You Depend On Message 2: ​​​​How God Blesses Broken Hearts Message 3: ​​​​The Strength of Gentleness Message 4: ​​​You​r Ministry of Mercy Message 5: ​How To Reconcile a Relationship Message 6: ​Handling Opposition To Your Faith PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at rickwarren.org. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life," read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America. This devotional © 2015 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe