Do we seek God in vain?

Isaiah 45:19 (ESV) I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.....
Isaiah 45:25 (ESV)..... In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory."

There it is, a promise straight from the mouth of God. If you've ever "felt" like your crying out to God was in vain, unheard, ignored, overlooked.....it's a lie! One of satan's wicked deceptions about The Almighty! We do not seek Him in vain! We may not see the results we desire in our lives immediately or ever, but we can count on His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

I have recently been in a dry place. During my first semester back to school, I desired to do well. Who wouldn't, right? But, to the detriment of my walk with God. Instead of my quiet times taking precedence, I spent every waking hour studying. I became obsessed with keeping my A's and would beat myself up if I missed more than 1 question on a quiz! Well, I did it. I managed to come out of the semester with a 4.0, a perfect A in medical terminology and an almost perfect A in Biology, and a heart that was on it's way down a path of worldly sowing. Don't get me wrong, studying is a good thing. Doing well in school is a great thing and ALL glory and honor go to Him for bringing me through this semester. The problem is that I put those grades above Him. I put my pride above Him and I paid the price for it. Over the last few weeks, God has graciously allowed me to see where I strayed, but not before lovingly allowing me to experience the effects of my choices.

I should also point out that during this dry time in my life, God was so kind to remind me of the Gospel. He didn't allow me to concede to guild and condemnation, but fueled me with His Spirit and the Truth of His Gospel. Yes, I was sinning and yes, I was suffering the consequences of my sin, but I had hope in the One who died for those sins and His power to lift me out of the mire and set my feet on solid ground, firm in Him! I knew that I needed to change some things and I'll be honest with you, I wasn't motivated to do it. So, I prayed that God would not only began to change my heart but that He would empower me to do what I needed to do. I trusted that it was His work alone that would bring about true restoration and desire.....and guess what! He did! Almost immediately. I was so grateful that I was even aware of what was happening. That was God working in my heart even before I asked!

In the book, 10 questions to diagnose your spiritual health, by Donald Whitney, he tells the story of his daughter straying from him in a restaurant, distracted by all the games and sounds, only to look up and realize that she had strayed so far she couldn't find him. She began to cry out for him and in that moment all that mattered was that she wanted to be in the presence of her father. "That's the cry of the dry soul. Other things may have distracted you, but now the only thing that matters is a return of your Father's presence" (Whitney) WOW! I have been so distracted, running after earthly rewards, spiralling downward as I pursued them, "feeling" further from God than I cared to be and all I wanted was to be in my Father's presence! I wanted to feel His arms around me, the safety and surety of being cared for by Him. He never left me. He was there, arms wide open, to pick me up and to love me! How amazing is that?

I was reminded today of the prayer Donald Whitney quotes from A.W. Tozer, in 10 questions... pg. 23:
"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made thirsty still"

I want to be the the satisfied soul that having tasted of His goodness wants more! Oh God, help me to be satisfied in You. Fill me with longing for more of You. Lord, let me not forget You are my treasure. You are my reward! Let me desire nothing else above You. Desires are good, as long as they do not usurp You and Your place on the throne of my heart! Thank You for loving me so much that You began a work in me before I was even aware of where I was straying. Thank You for giving me the grace to keep my eyes on Jesus and my thoughts on the Gospel! Thank You for changing my heart, for giving me a purpose, reminding me to sow to eternity. You are my Savior, my King, my best friend, my love, my destiny! I love you Lord!

Do we seek God in vain? Absolutely NOT! Praise Him.