Who's Shoulding on You? - VIDEO

Watch and listen as Pat offers her fresh perspective on managing the expectations of others.

Below you'll find the introduction from Pat's book When You Come Unglued... Stick Close to God.

Introduction

The Rock of Ages Does Not Move!

At some time in our lives, we who call ourselves Christians made a choice to follow Jesus. Perhaps it was a watershed experience for you—a moment in time that you can pinpoint exactly. That’s how it was for me—January 9, 1967. Or perhaps, like many others, you can’t remember a time when Jesus wasn’t part of your life.

Now you may be finding that your Christian walk has become a little less exciting. The years have gone by, and with each passing day you may feel more and more disconnected from the life promised to you as a consequence of your choice. Where is the joy, the awe, the awareness of God’s presence in your life? You may find yourself blaming God for your feelings of emptiness. You may even be angry with God for leaving you to cope with life on your own. Perhaps you feel that your prayers go nowhere, that you’re simply praying into a dark vacuum, void of God’s presence.

If this is how you feel, you’re not alone. Consider the Psalms. Even the psalmist endured the feeling that he was apart from God, separated, alone, deserted.

Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself
in times of trouble? (Psalm 10:1, niv)

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart? (Psalm 13:1-2, niv)

My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry out by day, but you
do not answer,
by night, and am not silent. (Psalm 22:1-2, niv)

Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant way in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior. (Psalm 27:9, niv)

Sound familiar? The psalmist made the same assumption we all do when we feel God is no longer near to us. We assume God has moved away from us or has banished us from God’s presence. In fact, we have allowed ourselves to be slowly, inexorably, pushed out of the glory of God’s presence. How does this happen?

In this book, we’ll look at some of the feelings, behaviors, and experiences that distance us from God:

  • sense of purposelessness and lack of direction in our lives
  • burdens of the past and the fears for the future
  • demands of others and of the world around us to conform to their standards
  • pressures from people, situations, events, and circumstances over which we have no control
  • worries about money and finances
  • struggle to achieve and excel

No wonder our journey loses its savor and our sense of “God with us” disappears.

When God seems far away, who moved?


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