God, didn't you get my text?

Many of my best friends are pretty far away. When I lived in Maryland, I developed friendships with people who I never see anymore, now that I'm in California. Thanks to modern technology, I still get to talk to them all the time. They're still just a text, email, skype message, or phone call away. When I'm really missing them bad, I call them up and talk to them. Communication never seems to really be a problem in our long distance relationships.

Don't you wish it were that way with God?

It's hard, when you love somebody so much, not to see their face. It's hard to feel like their not there, not listening, and not interested. I can't send an email to god@gmail.com and hope that He replies soon. I can't dial up 1-800-angel-support and get my Father on the phone. And I'm not so sure He's into Skype video chats, either. I remember when I was little, I wrote God a letter. I never got a letter back - so I guessed Heaven had moved and changed it's address.

It's really hard not to see Him, and not to tangibly have an affirmation of his presence. It's would be like a friend who never returned any of your messages. It would get so discouraging!

Once discouragement sets in, then comes doubt. Once there's doubt, Satan has drawn you to the point of questioning your salvation. This is all of the devil. "God is light, and in Him is NO darkness, at all" (1 John 1:5).

I remember not having gone to the Lord in prayer for several days. When I went back to him, I felt alone. I felt abandoned. I was discouraged. Why?

The story of Nehemaiah chapter 4 explains, by giving the example of Jerusalem's wall. When God's people started to rebuild it, opposition quickly arose.

"So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

⁷ But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. ⁸ They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. ⁹

This is how Satan is. When we try to follow Christ, he will get angry and try to deter our efforts. Yet, we cannot give up hope! We have to fight for what we believe in:

After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.

The reason I felt far from God was because Satan was trying to break down my wall! He saw that I was trying to rebuild what I had so terribly neglected . . . and he was determined to sow seeds of doubt in my mind. Did it work?

Not really. This Nehemiah passage reminded me that Satan was on the attack, and I had no choice but to stand firm and defend my wall.

As a girl who doesn't have a Dad anymore, it's hard to not be able to call your heavenly father and hear him on the other side of the line. Every girl wants a father to be able to go to, and get advice from . . . Sometimes, I just feel overcome with the strongest desire to see Him. How is it possible that I've never met this Father of mine, and yet he has brought me such joy, comfort, and peace?? I can't wait for the day when we can have a conversation, face to face.

Keep goin, girls. :) Don't let Satan distract you - don't let him tear your wall down, again. Those who earnestly seek the Lord will find a reward in His presence. And what a great reward it is! Don't be discouraged. Remember that there is no blessing that compares with the intimacy found in Christ.

~Lauren Lee