When You Feel God is Not Interested

Introduction

Has there ever been a point in your life where you felt completely isolated and abandoned from everyone? Maybe you even felt that God had abandoned you. You began to question whether God was even interested in you and in what you were going through. Maybe you cried out to God, either verbally or internally, and said, “Do you even care?”

You are not alone.

The prophet Jeremiah said in :

Lamentations 3:18 KJV 1900

18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:

There was a point in his life that he was so forlorn that he thought, “There is no hope for my life. It’s perished. It’s gone. I have nothing to look forward to, and God certainly is not interested in my life.”

Job was so distraught that in he said:

Job 10:18 KJV 1900

18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

Job is wishing he had never been born.

Both of these men had faced some seemingly insurmountable circumstances and felt as if God wasn’t even there.

Then in our text today, in , we find that Jesus and His disciples that had spent the better part of their day in a boat, just offshore, as Jesus taught the multitudes on the shore. It’s now evening, they are all exhausted and Jesus tells the disciples to push away from shore and sail to the other side. We pick up the story in verse 35.

READ

Mark 4:35–41 KJV 1900

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

In verse 38, we see the disciples, afraid for their life, go to Jesus and say, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?”

They are asking: “What’s wrong with You? What are You doing sleeping during the storm? We need Your help and we need it now, but You’re asleep? Do You even care what happens to us? Are you even interested in what happens to us?”

These men found themselves in the middle of a storm where they are afraid for their lives and are thinking that Jesus is not even interested in what happens to them.

Maybe you’re there today and you’re asking God, “Why are you letting this happen to me? Do you even care about what happens to me? Are you even here?”

Maybe you’re there today and you’re asking God, “Why are you letting this happen to me? Do you even care about what happens to me? Are you even here?”

I want to preach a message to this morning on this topic, “When You Feel God is Not Interested.”

Remember this:

Sticky Statement: Even in the midst of the storm, God is there and He cares.

Pray

Transition:

Some people get the idea that storms come into their lives only when they have disobeyed God, because God is against them, or because God is not interested in them. But this is not true. The storms that we face all serve a purpose.

As we begin today, I’d like to use an acronym with the word STORMS to help us understand the types of storms that come into our lives and why we can respond to our storms with faith rather than fear. This is not an exhaustive list of the types of storms that we face, but it is a list of storms that we commonly face.

The first source of STORMS we’ll look at today is:

S - STRESS

Often, stress is the result of self-imposed levels of achievement that we just don’t measure up to or achieve. Job-related problems might be the source of the stress that is in your life. Family problems, problems between husband and wife, parent-child relationships struggles, health, and many other types of difficulties come at us, or come after us, as we try to run away from them. Stress can also come from unfair expectations that we put on ourselves or from our environment.

Let me share some Scripture with you, that if you do, will help you with your stress.

Psalm 37:5 KJV 1900

5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Psalm 55:22 KJV 1900

22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Don’t allow stress to control you or dominate your life. Give it over to the Lord.

Another source of STORMS is:

T - TRIALS

There are always circumstances that are beyond our control. These are often the things that we didn’t know about and didn’t plan on happening. They are usually the things that catch us by surprise and when they come and often bring heartache. It’s when those trials and heartaches come that it becomes easy to question God and say, “God, why did you allow this happen to me?”

What does the Scripture say we should do in regards to our trials?

What does the Scripture say we should do in regards to our trials?

James 1:2–4 KJV 1900

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Trials are meant to strengthen our faith and increase our ability to endure future trials and temptations. Rather than asking God, “why,” purpose to count it all joy!

Another source of STORMS is:

O - OTHERS

Have you ever had a problem with somebody? We all have people problems.

Have you heard the statement, “Ministry is people and people are problems.” Hence, if you work with people, expect problems. Maybe you’ve thought, “If I don’t work with people, I wouldn’t have any problems.” Well, you’d be wrong…there’s still you.

We’ve all had or currently have problems with others. People problems often result in feelings of isolation and self-pity. Maybe you’re thinking, “Well, if that’s the way they are going to be, I don’t need to be around them.”

You might try for a while to avoid an others storm by sitting somewhere else or completely avoiding them. Maybe your others storm is at church so you look for another church or you avoid church all together. Maybe your others storm is at work, so you look for another job. Maybe your others storm is at home so you only go home when you have too.

Do you see the common solution many use for an others storms? AVOIDANCE

If your solution to others storms is to avoid others, you’ll never see the storm calmed. But understand that often, solving the problem may cause additional hurt and pain but will begin the process of healing.

You’ll never resolve a problem by avoiding it and often solving the problem will cause additional hurt and pain. “Sometimes the hurts are there in order to ultimately help us.”

What is the first step in healing when you’ve been hurt by others?

2 Corinthians 2:7–8 KJV 1900

7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

Ephesians 4:32 KJV 1900

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:31–32 KJV 1900

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Our next source of STORMS is:

Our fourth source of STORMS is:

R - REASON

So, Jason, are you telling me I shouldn’t reason things out? No! But what I am saying is that spending time just sitting there trying to figure out the reason for that storm can actually intensify the storm. Why? Because we actually start questioning God, demanding that He tell us why He allowed this storm into our lives.

When you begin asking all kinds of “Why” questions, you begin thinking about the wrong person…yourself. God would have us do the opposite…He would have think on Him and His Word.

Philippians 3:8 KJV 1900

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Philippians 4:8 KJV 1900

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Demanding that God tell us the reason for our storm while we’re in the middle of it is one of the greatest tools of Satan and it weakens our faith.

Rather than asking “Why”, you have to discipline yourself to keep your eyes focused on Jesus instead of on yourself or the storm.

When you and I find ourselves in the middle of a storm, it is really of no value to us to know the reason. What we want is a place of peace and rest. This is only found when our eyes are kept on Jesus.

When you and I find ourselves in the middle of a storm, it is really of no value to us to know the reason. What we want is a place of peace and rest. This is found only when our eyes are kept on Jesus.

Another source of STORMS is:

M - MONEY

You may be sitting here today and thinking, “That’s one storm I’ve never had because I don’t have enough.” Well that’s exactly what I’m talking about, the storm is there. You may think, “Certainly, if God were really interested in me, He would help me with my finances.” That seems to be the mentality of many. But you never have enough money and the more you get, the more you need. Money itself can be the storm, but many times the money storm can lead to storms in marriages and other relationships.

It’s important that we remember, thought, that it’s not money itself that is the problem, but it’s the love of money.

1 Timothy 6:10 KJV 1900

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

How do we avoid this money storm?

Hebrews 13:5a KJV 1900

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

The final source of STORMS we’ll look at today is:

S - SERVICE

By this I mean that frustration often comes up in service for God. You are so busy serving God, volunteering in the church, and ministering to people, but still you aren’t sure how much progress you are making in your efforts to find out and do God’s perfect will for your life. So you start to think, “If this were so important, certainly God would show me the answer.” And when you haven’t received an answer, you think, “He must not care.”

It’s these types of storms that often cause us to focus on ourselves. We begin to get afraid and think we’ll never know God’s will for our lives or we’ll never be able to accomplish His will for our lives because He hasn’t allowed us to do it yet. Or we begin to think, “I’ve done so much for God, but He hasn’t blessed me or done anything for me.

Here’s the problem with this attitude…your “service” wasn’t for God or unto God. It was done for you in hopes of getting from God what you thought you wanted or needed.

What does the Scriptures have to say about his type of service?

Colossians 3:23 KJV 1900

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Don’t let your service for the Lord become your focus rather than the Lord Himself.

Colossians 3:32

Don’t let your service for the Lord become your focus rather than the Lord Himself.

Transition:

We’ve taken a few minutes to look at few examples of storms that we go through and there are many more we could have discussed. Regardless the storm, the answer to successfully going through the storm is the same, God. So in our last few minutes, let’s go back to our text in and look at what we must remember so you don’t get to the point that you feel that God is not interested.

1. Remember God is There With You

Look at verse 35 again:

- And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us...

And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us

Remember back in our text in Mark 4:40, Jesus said to the disciples, “Why are ye so fearful, how is it that ye have no faith? There are three reason why the disciples in Mark 4 and you and I today have no need to feel isolated from God and feel like He’s not interested when STORMS come into our lives.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (1995). (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Jesus was with the disciples before the storm, during the storm, and after the storm. There was never a moment that He was not with them.

The promise given in and repeated in was true in the middle of the Sea of Galilee 2,000 years ago just as it is today in the midst of your storm.

Hebrews 13:5b KJV 1900

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

If you remember this foundational truth, you are setting your self up for spiritual growth and blessing even in the midst of the storm.

2. Remember God will Take You Through the Storm

- And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

From the beginning of this trek across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus told them they were going to the other side. He said, “Let us pass over unto the other side.” The Greek word for “let us pass over” tells us a lot of what Jesus was saying. It is a verb where the “action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome.

Have you ever heard the phrase: “Jesus said it; I believe it; that settles it.” Let’s correct that phrase, “Jesus said it; that settles it.” If Jesus said it, that settles it, whether or not we believe it.

As in verse 37, the storms of life will be loud and distracting, but it’s important that we remember that when God promises to take you through the storm, He will be with you and He will take you where He has led. In other words, as we follow where God as He is leading, we may go through some storms on the way, but He will bring you to an expected end. The key is that we follow.

It’s important that we remember that when God promises to take you somewhere that he will be with you and that He will take you where He has led. In other words, as we follow God where He is leading, we may go through some storms on the way, but He will take you where He is leading.

3. Remember the One with You in the Storm is the God of the Wind and Sea

Look in verse 39.

Remember back in our text in Mark 4:40, Jesus said to the disciples, “Why are ye so fearful, how is it that ye have no faith? There are three reason why the disciples in Mark 4 and you and I today have no need to feel isolated from God and feel like He’s not interested when STORMS come into our lives.

Remember back in our text in Mark 4:40, Jesus said to the disciples, “Why are ye so fearful, how is it that ye have no faith? There are three reason why the disciples in Mark 4 and you and I today have no need to feel isolated from God and feel like He’s not interested when STORMS come into our lives.

Remember back in our text in , Jesus said to the disciples, “Why are ye so fearful, how is it that ye have no faith? There are three reason why the disciples in and you and I today have no need to feel isolated from God and feel like He’s not interested when STORMS come into our lives.

Mark 4:39 KJV 1900

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

No matter how loud and boisterous, no matter how dark and deep, no matter how big or overwhelming the storm you’re in may be, the One with you is the God of the Wind and Sea. He may choose to calm your storm as He did in , or He may choose to bring you through the storm. Whatever storm you’re going through today, let’s heed Jesus’ words in verse 40:

Mark 4:40 KJV 1900

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

Where is your faith in the storm?

Remember back in our text in , Jesus said to the disciples, “Why are ye so fearful, how is it that ye have no faith? There are three reason why the disciples in and you and I today have no need to feel isolated from God and feel like He’s not interested when STORMS come into our lives.

1. He promised the disciples in verse 35 that He would go with them to other side. If God is leading and you are following, than no matter what STORMS may come along, He will bring you to the other side.

Jeremiah 32:27 KJV 1900

27 Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

2. In says, " Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” You have no need to fear while in a storm because God is with you in the midst of the storm.

Jeremiah 32:27 says, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” You have no need to fear the storm you’re in because the One with you in the storm is also the One who can calm the storm. No circumstance can prevent the Lord from bringing you safely through the storm.

There is no circumstance that can prevent the Lord from bringing you safely through the storm. As the disciples said in verse 41:

3. says, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” You have no need to fear the storm you’re in because the One with you in the storm is also the One who can calm the storm. No circumstance can prevent the Lord from bringing you safely through the storm.

Mark 4:41 KJV 1900

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Conclusion:

So how you deal with how you feel when you feel that God is not interested?

Remember that Even in the midst of the storm, God is there and he cares.

Remember that the God of the wind and the sea is there with you in the storm and He will bring you through.

The storms that we face all serve a purpose…they will either destroy you or cause you to flourish. The difference in the outcome is determined by whether you put your eyes on the storm or on the One who wants to bring you through it.