Hide and Go Seek
The New King James Version (NKJV) is used as a modern language update to the King James Version while preserving the traditional literary quality.
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I do not know about you guys, but I have been feeling like I was in a season of desperately looking for a breakthrough.
During this time, I leaned towards prayer and constant fasting. It started to feel like I was playing a difficult game of Hide-and-Seek. I am seeking my savior for an answer to my deliverance and I just felt that I could not find him.
However, I learned a very important lesson along the way.
An Important Lesson
The lesson is to simply seek God’s face during this time and not His hand.
The word of God says “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 NKJV).
I wholeheartedly believe the problem that we face as Christians is that we hyperfocus on the problem that is in front of us instead of God. Problems come and go but God remains the same forever. He knows we will be faced with trials in this life. But He wants us to put our eyes steadfast on Him.
In Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus walked on water during a storm and called Peter over. As long as Peter’s eyes were focused on Jesus, he was able to step out in faith and do the impossible act of walking on water.
However, I find it not strange that the moment he got distracted by the storm and took his eyes off Jesus, he began to drown.
Brothers and sisters, it is the same for us today.
We are to fix our eyes on God no matter what is happening around us.
During that moment in Mathew 14 when there was a storm (our problems), we are supposed to keep our eyes fixed on God. Then we will not drown in worry, anxiety, doubt, or depression.
When we keep our eyes fixed on God like Peter did in the beginning, we can do the impossible through grace, and persevere through the situation around us seems difficult. For the word of God says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).
The word of God even says “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” Choosing to focus on God brings perfect peace from God allowing us to be calm and collected during moments of difficulty or trials in our lives.
Even more, the word of God says in James 1:3 NKJV that “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
God knows that we will face different types of trials in this life. The cause of these trials can stem from many things. But God wants us to take heart that he has overcome the world and we have the final victory (John 16:33 NKJV).
So, there is no purpose in focusing on the problem but looking to God. We keep our eyes on the one who has overcome the world.
How to Seek God
We can seek God by going to His presence to just sit still and be present with our Father. He wants us to look to Him during these times especially and trust that He is working all things out for our good (Romans 8:28 NKJV). He wants us to have faith that He is with us and that we do not need to focus on our problems but on His word. God promises that He will never leave us or forsake us.
The bible says set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2 NKJV), and this is what we should do when faced with trials, no matter how hard it is.
A way to do this is to look up what the word of God says about your current situation whether it is guidance, direction, healing, or deliverance. Then just meditate only on those verses all day.
This basically means we have to focus on God.
For example, when you pray and fast, no longer seek God’s hand but His heart. So instead of praying about what you want God to do for you and leave, do this instead.
Write what you are praying and fasting for and leave it on the altar (meaning you present it to God such as on a piece of paper in a notebook) and then spend the rest of the time not worrying about it.
Instead, study the bible verses regarding the promises God’s word says about the situation. Think about them all day, memorize them to know them, and have the word in your heart.
Other ways to seek God are by reading the bible, worshiping Him, declaring who He is, writing His word down, being still and quiet in His presence. All of these combined are foundational to seeking God and getting to know Him more.
I am not going to lie – I feel somewhat miserable praying and fasting daily seeking His hand with no avail. It felt like “Hide-and-go seek yet I could not find what I was looking for.
But I was looking for the wrong thing.
During my time of fasting and prayer, I sought the hand of God and not really His heart and got exhausted and wanted to give up. I focused only on my problem and prayed for it to stop. I did not spend time in a secret place or even read what God’s word had to say.
We should never do this. God already knows our problem. We should not be going into praying telling God how big our problem is but declaring how our God is BIGGER than our problems. He overcame the entire world and already overcame what we are going through. This time should have been spent acknowledging Him, spending more time in His word, and praising Him.
During this time, you can let Him know what your desires are but do not focus daily on them.
Instead, seek Him, His heart, His will through his word and worship.
The focus should be on God and getting to know Him. Getting to know His word, His character, His promises for our lives, and more importantly His heart towards us.
Again, Matthew 6:33 NKJV says “Seek Ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.” It says it plainly. It does not say keep seeking what God can do for you and all these things shall be added unto you. We have to seek the creator, His kingdom, and His perfect will.
God already knows everything we need before we ask. Matthew 6:26-27 NKJV says “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”
This is saying we do not need to worry about the things we need. God will provide them for us. Even the birds do not worry, and have ALL of their needs provided for them. God is saying we are more valuable to Him. Again, we do not need to worry about our needs. He already knows what we need. He just wants us to seek His kingdom first.
Fear Versus Faith
We are not to have fear of the future during these times but have faith. The bible says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
When we have fear, we are operating out of a place of lack. God wants us to choose faith instead. Faith to God is what fear is to Satan. God says without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).
When you choose to have faith in His purposeful plans in your life, you are worshiping Him. This is what He designed us to do. However, when we worry and have fear of the future or if God will even help, we worship the devil by choosing fear.
Remember that fear is NOT from God.
Fear is not one of the fruits of his spirits. So fear is not good. When we fear the unknown, we are to trust God and believe what His word says about our situation.
Conclusion
Instead of feeling like our creator is hiding and we are having trouble “seeking” Him, we should look at it from a new approach. We should hide in the secret place of God, and seek His heart and not His hand.
Then we will truly find Him and it will be more greater than fulfilling a conditional need. Life comes with many challenges and there will also be something that we need, so it is better to focus only on Him and rely on Him to provide and nothing more.
Just rest in God alone. It is more peaceful that way.
Furthermore, correctly “Hide-and-seeking” God is fruitful. Even in the real game, you are looking for a person and not what they can offer you.
It is the same with the Kingdom of God. God also says that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). Well what does diligently mean? It means to require, search for, investigate, seek out for oneself, crave, and beg.
This is what we are meant to do in a time of fasting and prayer to the Lord. Literally begging Him to come and searching for Him. During this time, we should be searching and waiting for Him to reveal His glory and Kingdom to us. We should be deeply investigating scripture and the promises He has for us and craving for His faithful truths.
Then He can bless you because he is a rewarder for those that diligently seek Him.
Rewarder means the one who pays wages. So the Lord literally owes you for doing this with diligence at this point and it feels good because you got to a point where you weren’t even looking for his hand anymore but the Father’s heart.
Now instead of feeling like I am hiding and can not find God, I have a renewed mind and closer than ever relationship to God. I know to go hide in the secret place to be in His presence and seek God. This is the fruitful way to do this. And I want you to experience this too!
Try for yourself and taste and see that the Lord is good.
Hide in the secret place and Go seek your Heavenly Father.
Blessing: “May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 (NLT):
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Prayer: Thank you Lord for a new day. I pray and ask to do your will at all times and for you to lead me in all my ways. Help me seek you more and get to know you. I choose to trust you and I ask for your grace to have more faith in you. Thank you for hearing this prayer. Lord, I love you. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
