When You Can't Find God

[@CarenRuppert]

Henry Nouwen’s quote! Wow The hardest thing to do is stop being the Prodigal Son without turning into the Elder one.” So powerful

[@BecomeNew]

Caren, we appreciate you following Become New and for your positve feedback! Rob

[@elaineh1041]

good morning ☀️ so good, humbling…to know why at times I’m at a loss…finding the calm, the peace in the storms. To know He is with me always even there but I feel so alone. 💕🍃

[@BecomeNew]

Be reassured he is always with you (even when we don't feel it) And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 Bucky

[@noellepauling7216]

Timely, I choose to trust that the Spirit of God is here. I have absolutely no control in my current circumstance. There is a lot of waiting. Patience. Praise. Honesty. Tears. Deciding to continue to seek even though God seems silent. May we see God in unexpected places.

[@lizt.4845]

Thank you John. Such confirmation of what the Holy Spirit is doing in my life. What a good , gracious and loving GOD we serve!

[@BecomeNew]

You are very welcome We are so blessed you are with us Bucky

[@annettekirk6119]

Living in the dark night right now...I know that God is working and working for my good, but I often need a reminder. Become New has been the vehicle by which God sends those timely messages of hope. Today's reminder was sorely needed.

[@BecomeNew]

We are so glad you are part of our Become New Community - that we may interweave each others story. Praying you continue to lean into our God who never leaves us - even in the dark Be Blessed Bucky

[@BecomeNew]

So glad you are part of our Become New Community and God is able to interweave our story journey. Praying you will continue to lean into God knowing that he will never ever leave you even in the dark Be Blessed Bucky

[@SusanAguire-m9m]

Praying God's Light leads you through the dark into His Light all the while with His Peace. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@beanfeld]

I have had some dark nights recently and needed to hear this. I may be taking a few days away with God because I need to do that. 😊

[@BecomeNew]

So glad to hear your being sensitive to his calling and your needs. blessings on you as you pursue Him. -tim

[@revannekh]

So beautifully expressed! John of the Cross is one of many...like Mother Teresa in our own day whose letters to her confessor reveal years of dark nights that no one knew about until after her death.

[@BecomeNew]

We are so blessed to have the words and writings of these God fearing individuals who went before us and left us beautiful reminders of God's goodness Bucky

[@hollyrumbles]

❤ love this! Very encouraging and clarifying. I appreciate what John shared about not doing more as an effort to remedy a dry season. Thanks all 😊

[@BecomeNew]

Good! This is nice to hear. Yes, I believe we all needed to hear this. - Brad

[@JoyChudacoff]

Thank you, John. I really appreciated your reference to the northern lights. Great example!🙏🏻

[@BecomeNew]

This is nice to see, Joy. We're so grateful you're a part of the Become New community, and for your note! - Brad

[@chrisgirardi2827]

In a season of this currently. It has been one of the hardest of my life. This idea of passive faith really resonated w me as I’ve felt very much like ,”what am I doing wrong here ? Or what do I need to do more of ? So that I can get back to where I was?” …thank you for this word.

[@BecomeNew]

So glad you are with us and Become New can walk with you in your story. God is always with us and we are never alone...even when we don't feel his presence. We remain faithful Bucky

[@candyboyer]

The "learning to ride a bike" analogy really hit home with me. Perfect example of how God teaches us to grow in Him. Thanks--

[@BecomeNew]

Glad you enjoyed it! We are grateful you are with us on our Become New journey Bucky

[@patriciaarroyo1690]

Amen amen amen!!!! These have been so revealing in my spiritual walk and all the things God is doing. Truly our God is every present in our lives. Especially in moments that we feel most alone. Thank you John and his team. These are special, I can imagine to many others. I know im blessed every single time!!!

[@BecomeNew]

Thank you for being with us and sharing your heart - we are grateful you are part of our Become New Community Bucky

[@surrendersong]

Thank you John. In the last months God has been weaning me of my attachments. Yes I am grateful for his redemptive purpose in it to come to know Him in new and deeper ways. Grateful for your ministry. My soul is fed.

[@BecomeNew]

We are so glad you are a part of our Become New community - thank you for the kind words and encouragement Be Blessed Bucky

[@rh82828]

For me the dark night lasted years and was a time of not being able to understand anything at all that was happening around me...but God. He became my only anchor in life and the only One I could be sure of. It was almost like when Job said his ears had heard about God before but he could then see Him with spiritual eyes, and His immensity over all of life. Renewed awe is powerful! I was actually thinking of this today, and how that dark night season grew me, and humbled me. It was a good thing, as hard as it was to experience. I just sense that I came out of it different, and even still, without answers...but God.

[@BecomeNew]

RJ, thank you so much for sharing about your journey...I refer to the period when I had a similar long experience as my wilderness time...I would not wish it on anyone else, and yet, it's what it took for me in my walk. I only wish I could take back the discomfort I caused others...but GOD. Bless you Rob

[@polgalang3605]

God never leaves nor forsakes us even on our dark nights. He just teaches us not to rely on our feelings but on His truth. Most especially, dark nights are God's invitation for us to grow maturely as He is always in the business of changing us to be more like His Son. Thank you, pastor John and team. Blessings!

[@BecomeNew]

This is a great summary of what God is teaching us through John's episode. We love that you're a part of this community with us! - Brad

[@wartimemodels]

the spiritual writings of the Orthodox Church have been transformative on these points

[@BecomeNew]

Yes they have, thanks for joining us today! Rob

[@RoseExieDavis]

Thank you for the explanation with Psalm 131 - God does calm & quite me so wonderfully, His peace is my richest blessing.

[@BecomeNew]

Thank you for sharing - we are blessed you are part of our Become New Community In Christ Bucky

[@jjerichoGilly]

Thank you so much John. A rich seam to mine here!

[@BecomeNew]

You are so very welcome, Gilly, thank you for watching! Rob

[@ColleenPfund-wl7yl]

So very beautiful! Thank you John for helping us all enter our pain, embrace it knowing that our Father is there too with us

[@BecomeNew]

Thank you, Colleen, for listening and sharing your thoughts, be blessed! Rob

[@paulkick7870]

If you never fall, you never get practice at getting up again.

[@BecomeNew]

Yes, and He teaches us much when helping pick us up. - Brad

[@tompurfuerst1674]

Amen 🙏

[@BecomeNew]

We're happy you watch along with us. - Brad

[@carlamartins7464]

Thank you for this beautiful, encouraging message.

[@BecomeNew]

You are so welcome, Carla, thank you for listening! Rob

[@kenwiens2127]

Nothing clever to say today, and that’s okay…the invisible God still loves me, and he is still “The Way.”

[@BecomeNew]

And ...he will never ever leave you. Thank you for joining us on the Story journey - glad we can be part of yours Bucky

[@kaseyberg4022]

Feelings…we can’t trust them 💖Thanks John!

[@BecomeNew]

Would you say they are good advisors, but not good leaders? -tim

[@daniellemeadows8291]

❤

[@lvshope]

Had heard the phrase “Dark Night of the Soul” though unfamiliar with source.

[@BecomeNew]

Glad we could help bring light to the "Dark Night of the Soul" origin Thanks for being with us as we journey together Blessings Bucky

[@kamakazee2783]

Thank you

[@BecomeNew]

Thanks for sending us this note. We're happy you're part of the Become New community! - Brad

[@lauracrosby3082]

Such valuable, encouraging words! Thanks John! Was it a sermon by Tyler you referenced on PS 131 or a different resource? I googled but didn’t find anything.

[@BecomeNew]

Hi Laura, yes John was referencing a recent sermon by Pastor Tyler Staton (you may be familiar with him, but if not he's the Lead Pastor at Bridgetown Church in Portland, OR). I hope this helps. We're so glad you're part of this community with us, Laura. - Brad

[@lindaparenti8828]

Hi pastor John have been going through the dark nite for sometime with the scandal with bill to Covid to best friend moving to many people we know passing away to my husband retiring and not adjusting to my grandkids not needing me as much to the worst part finding God in my life going from a strong faith to not finding him or much else. 🙏

[@BecomeNew]

Praying your trust is strengthened that God never leaves you - he is walking with you even in the dark times Bucky