Have you ever wondered if God sees, hears or even cares about your situation? I wish I could say I’ve never doubted. I wish I could say I’ve never hit a dry spell in my spiritual life where I felt…nothing. Faith is so much more than feeling. If you’ve ever asked “Are you up there Lord? Can you hear me?,” then I’d like to share some Truth that I turn to when I become discouraged.
There are times in our lives when we may find ourselves asking questions. Fear may be rising up. Our prayers go unanswered, our troubles mount, and our heart is broken. What must we do? We must tenaciously hold onto the truth that our God does hear and see his people; God does care.
The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.”
Exodus 3:7 NKJV NIV
The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
Proverbs 15:3 NIV
From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind, from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth…
Psalm 33:13-14 NIV
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against whose who do evil.
1 Peter 3:12 NIV
Sometimes we get so discouraged or deceived that we convince ourselves that surely, this time, things are so bad that God really isn’t seeing, hearing, or caring. No matter how bad it gets, your situation does not present an exception to the Truth. God isn’t looking down on earth with apathy. He also isn’t just a spectator. Let’s look at a story that exemplifies how much God sees, hears and cares about what is happening on earth.
Ishmael: God Hears
In Genesis 16:7-13 and 21:8-20, we find the story of Hagar. Hagar was a maidservant of Sarah, wife of Abraham. Sarah was barren and presented Hagar to Abraham to bear him a son. For all practical purposes, Hagar and Ishmael were a mistake. Their situation was a product of human effort—indeed a product of NOT trusting God. Ishmael was NOT God’s chosen one, not the lineage He had planned for Abraham.
When Hagar became pregnant, Sarah grew jealous of her and mistreated her. So, Hagar ran away. By a spring in the desert, God sent an angel to speak to Hagar. The angel said, “You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael (literally GOD HEARS) for the Lord has heard of your misery.” God, sitting in heaven, had heard of Hagar’s misery and He sent a messenger to her.
From this encounter, Hagar said, “You are the God who sees me,” and “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Hagar felt seen and heard. This supernatural experience must have been validating and exciting. God hears! God sees! The Creator of the universe made a promise over her son, just like He did Isaac (the one who was part of God’s plan). Of course, after that awesome experience, everything was great for Hagar and Ishmael. Right?
Well, God didn’t magically solve her problems. In fact, God sent her back to the woman who was mistreating her. In Genesis 21, we find out things didn’t improve much for Hagar. In fact, in verse 14, Abraham is sending Hagar and her son Ishmael away. At this point, Abraham and Sarah have Isaac, the son God promised them. Hagar and Ishmael had become problems from their perspective, but not to God.
Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob.
Genesis 21:14-16
In the depths of hopelessness, Hagar had forgotten who God is, the promise He had made her and her son. It seemed God wasn’t seeing or hearing. Until verse 17 tells us that God heard the boy crying.
Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So, she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up.
Genesis 21:19-20
When we forget God sees and hears
We all have what I like to call “Illogical Plan B” when it comes to our walk with the Lord. The Israelites suffered from this mightily. It goes like this: Plan A (i.e. trusting God) doesn’t seem to be working out so well. We have issues and troubles that God just doesn’t seem to understand or care about. Even though we have the Truth about God in his Word and probably even through past experience, we forget who God is. So, being the smarty pants we are; we initiate plan B (anything other than trusting God). This is what Sarah did with Hagar. She didn’t trust God’s word. So, she came up with her own solution.
Plan B usually involves us placing our trust in ourselves, other people, job/money, etc. We won’t admit it, but we do it. We stop reading our Bible. Our prayer life drops off or becomes nonexistent. We don’t seek godly counsel. We don’t practice self-discipline or seek righteousness. After all, what’s the point? We give up on God. Because it isn’t working, right?
Then, we turn to Plan B. Plan B is and always will be less than God. Plan B is not all powerful. Even more sadly, we turn from the one who always does hear, see, feel and can act on our behalf to something that I guarantee you cannot. It is illogical because every excuse we give for turning from Plan A; Plan B fits that exact description. There is no breath in Plan B.
Of what value is an idol, since a man carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, “Come to life1” or to lifeless stone, “Wake up!” Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; but there is no breath in it.
Habakkuk 2:18-19
You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.
Daniel 5:23b
Remain Steadfast
If you find yourself in a season of sorrow, hurt or dryness, remain steadfast in the Lord. With a living, breathing God, we always have hope. We must remember our God see and hears. Our God can act and none other can. Comfort yourself with His promises and remember all the times He has seen, heard, and cared for you before.
My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.
Jeremiah 24:6-7