One of Jett and Ava’s favorite games to play when they were younger at Papa’s house was hide and seek. It didn’t take much effort to hide from them. I could simply turn my back and stand against the wall in another room and they were excited when they find me.
There were other times I liked to make their finding more of a challenge. It created patience, endurance, and determination for them to keep looking. The celebration of victory when found was bigger because it was more of an accomplishment on their part.
Have you ever felt like you are playing hide and seek with God? If you are honest, it’s a game you would rather not choose to play with Him. It probably doesn’t even feel like a game. It’s more like real life and real life is really not a game.
For the sake of this post, let’s pretend you and I are playing the game with God. If we are hiding from God, it would be easy for Him to find us. God could find us like my grand-kids found me when I didn’t have to put much effort into it.
On the other hand, you and I could put much effort in hiding from God and sometimes we try to do that for a variety of reasons. No matter how hard we try, He still would find us in less than a blink of an eye. To that I personally say thank you God!
Now it’s God’s turn. How could we rate ourselves in finding God when it seems that He is hiding? I have often felt as if God were hiding from me when I’m trying to find Him for a particular reason. If this were a betting game, I’d bet you have felt like that at some point and time yourself. Pay up!
The biggest reason that we can not find God like He can find us is that we do not have His vision. You see, He sees every nook and cranny. He sees in complete darkness. He sees under and over. He sees in the tight and uncomfortable places.
So here’s the big question…
If God can find us so easily and He loves us so much….
why does He (at times) make it so hard for us to find Him?
God wants you to come looking for Him because it causes you to do something. Do you know or have experienced someone being spoiled? If we don’t do something in seeking God then our Christian walk could be similar to a spoiled child. We would just sit and get everything we want. We wouldn’t go looking for it, it would just appear. Almost like having a genie.
“God doesn’t hide Himself from you so that He can’t be found; He hides Himself from you so that He can be found.” ― Tommy Tenney, The God Catchers: Experiencing the Manifest Presence of God
Have you been seeking a hidden God? Why would He be hiding from you? Are you learning anything in the process while He remains silent? Realize this and let me make myself very clear, though God appears to be playing hide and seek with you, He knows exactly the right time to allow you to find Him. He will keep Himself what appears to be hidden as long as He feels the need to teach you something while you are seeking.
Perhaps God is strengthening our hearts to see how much of it we truly will use in searching for Him.
You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13
Blessed are those who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their Hearts
Psalms 119:2
with ALL our heart….
Could it be possible that God is trying to expand our hearts to their full capacity before He answers and reveals Himself?
How do we determine if we are seeking Him with all our heart? You might be like me often times saying…God, I’m trying the best I can. I’m trying to give You all of my heart. Why are You still not speaking and letting me hear from You?
I definitely do not have all of the answers. God’s ways are not our ways. I have discovered that everyone’s timing is different. Just know that God has a purpose in not revealing Himself on your time table.
He knows we will accomplish so much more in the waiting or hiding period. Patience, endurance, and determination is taught and experienced with God just like it is with Jett and Ava.
Bottom line….when we play hide and seek with God we grow.
God’s timing is perfect. He has our best interest in mind. He has done some amazing things in my life while I have searched for Him. He does even greater things when He steps out and says….you found Me!
Lingering Thoughts:
Do you feel like God is playing hide and seek with you? If you do, have an honest conversation with Him. Be persistent in asking Him to speak to you regarding your situation.
While you wait (while He is hiding), ask Him what He is trying to teach you. Be on the lookout of Him getting your attention.
What does it mean for you personally to search for Him with all of your heart?
Join me in prayer……God, I know You really do not hide from me but sometimes it feels like it. Help me realize that You are always with me. Help me also know that there will be times You will wait before revealing Your plan for my life because You have my best interest in mind. Teach me to wholeheartedly search for You, as it will help our relationship grow stronger. In Jesus name, Amen.
Photos by Create228studio
