Odd title, I know. At the drop of a hat, if not sooner, I can be in rest-mode... and linger there for a seemingly endless span if time. Who needs to 'prepare' to relax, anyway? Well, our devotional today actually reflects on our 'before your day begins' time. One of the very hardest things to do is not do things, not prepare, not get ahead of yourself, and certainly ahead of the Lord as you face the day. It is SO easy and rather natural to 'get to it', right out of the gate, right as your feet hit the floor... and many times, way before! That is how it's always been, it seems. Working 'the grind' of life, the racing with the rats, as it were. In fact, Ephesians 2:2 quantifies it as; " Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience ", which is a reminder that once you are surrendered to Jesus, take time during your day and get ready to relax your spirit in His, relax your fears in Him, relax your very heart, soul, and body in His presence... getting time with Him. I find it amazing how exponentially beneficial that time with the Lord actually plays out through the day. See... I can only surmise how the day is going to go, the various events, experiences, the highs/lows, and worse... the stress, anxiousness, and certainly the opportunities to be an example, good or bad, for others to witness His moving power in your life. But, He 'knows' how your day is going to go, His plan for you will guide you through your day... not like a marionette, but a living being... in fellowship with the Lord. Take thought about how Jesus always did this. Hebrews 12:3 tells us; " For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. ", which may be a little tough to decipher, but essentially this passage is reminding that we can avoid being 'worn out' or unable to complete our day, or even maintain a holy and righteous spirit through our toils by first 'getting ready to relax' in Him and consider Him in our lives; how He overcame sin and sinners; He endured rejection; He came to meet us here on earth - not expecting us to 'get better' and be able to reach up to Him. Get ready... get ready to relax on the Lord, then He'll empower you in your day!

How many times have we heard that? Someone telling us to be quiet so we can 'hear that'; like we can hear what they are hearing... or, think they are hearing. Yet, we attempt to eliminate 'other noises' to better help us identify 'that sound'. Our devotional today goes along those same lines... quieting ourselves so we 'can' hear the very voice of God... the calling... the leading. Now, not just anyone can hear God's voice... not just anyone can follow His leading... it's not a coupon, or some promotional sale thing going on. Life in and with the Lord is unique, special, many would say 'ordained', because John 10:14 reads; " I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. ", which tells us all that only His sheep follow His leading. Again, J ohn 10:27-28 continues that premise by stating; " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. " The key factor though, is that we; Listen for His calling/leading Follow His calling/leading At the outset of our salvation, we may need to actually 'be still and know that I am God', as the scripture reads. As your experience grows in the Lord; as your spirit is more-n-more in tune to His leading; as your heart is listening stronger/better than your mind, you can hear His voice and distinguish His leading over and through all the worldly noise much easier... much more fluently... much more 'maturely', as it were. So much so, that your fellowship with the Lord is more and more a two-way road... an exchange, instead of just directions from Him. Jeremiah 29:12-13 points out; " Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. (13) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. ", which is certainly a much deeper relationship, a much more interactive association with the Lord. You can NOT get there merely by being submissive, quiet, and passive. It involves you being engaged in a relationship with Him, and 'alive' in your communication (listening and speaking)... a dynamic and active fellowship with Him, but you really need to stop yourself and gently say; Shhhh.... D'Ya Hear That?

I know, the typical phrase is, "synchronize your watch", so pardon me as I make a spiritual reference to that well established phrase. Way too many times through my day, through my week, through my life I have gotten my spirit sort of out-of-sync. Something of a disjointed feeling, or 'pending doom', or maybe even just an unsettled and restless feeling of anguish, fear, and/uncertainty... and I finally hear 'that still small voice', and get linked back up with the Lord, and sort of Synchronize My Spirit . Something of a 'balance of life' occurs, and my soul is rested and comforted again. See, Philippians 3:7-8 states; " But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. (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 ,", which may seem all 'special', magical, or even spiritually pompous. But remember, we live in a tangibly distracting world and can so easily get our spirits out of sync with the Holy Spirit... so-much-so, that even doing the wrong thing seems right! I tweeted that many months ago, now ( Doing the Wrong Thing ), in fact. Sure, you can go through your Faith Walk with the Lord in this on/off or up/down way, but the variations in your life are really hard on you, not to mention your witness/presence to those around you. Keeping a 'steady keel', as it were, is essential to your growth and depth in the Lord. Colossians 4:2 encourages us with; " Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving ;", which is actually 'why' we (I) tend to drift or get out of sync with the Lord... we lose track with the concept that though He is omni-present, we still need to keep our attention, focus, and heart on Him. Therein, He'll definitely Synchronize Your Spirit!

It is very, very simple to choose peace. It is quite a whole other thing to apply that choice! Consider the last time you had a gut-wrenching decision to make... many times, that quickening from our Lord IS the path He wants you on, but too often we choose something safer, something less ridiculous appearing (to those around us), and maybe even something not quite so challenging for our lives. His peace is at stake, so just how do you chose that path, and stick with it? Our devotional today reminds us that His presence in our lives is a perpetual and consistent sounding board of His love in our lives. See, Exodus 33:14 clearly points out; " And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest ", which is integral to a peaceful and sustainable fellowship with the Lord... remaining close with Him through you day... not just 'when' something is bigger than you, not just when you need Him, and certainly not just when you have 'tried all else'. God has promised that your faith in Him will make your path firm, your footing in Him strong, and your stride straight and true. Deuteronomy 33:25 clarifies this with; " Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.", which is to say that your feet are going to be equipped to handle the path set before you! That's a promise and a challenge, huh! See... God doesn't goad us into 'trying our best', He equips us and asks us to trust Him for the rest. Fear NOT as you face the challenges upcoming... as He told you, "...so shall thy strength be ". Piece of Cake, eh! Sure... with that level of promise (and the power to back it up, too), you are poised to live in His peace... right in the face of 'all odds against you'; just as all reasonable hope for peace is gone. Never forget how the psalmist put it in Psalms 29:11 , which reads; " The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. " It is not really a 'piece of cake' for you or for me... alone... when we are apart from His grace in our lives, apart from His presence, and certainly apart from His guiding Spirit. However, Hebrews 13:20-21 conveys it best as it states; " Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, (21) Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. " So, just as you think or feel that your peace is at stake, stop and consider that in Him; piece of cake!

God doesn't tear down any barriers we put up between Him and us. God doesn't set up any barriers between us. Now, is it just me, but isn't it odd we aren't very, very close to God? The only barriers keeping us apart are our own! Sure, physically close is not part of the equation, but it seems like we'd be much more spiritual, much more content, and certainly much more 'heavenly minded' than we are as a people, let alone as individuals. Mostly, one of the key things that keeps us from being closer and having a more consistent fellowship with him is actually life itself! I mean, we fuss over our lives so much, we even lose track that He can/does actually want to guide us through this life and struggle to do it on our own. In fact, Philippians 4:19 reminds us; "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." I know, it is SO hard to rest in that, to settle our souls down and trust Him for our latter life, let alone our now life. Still, He doesn't ever force Himself on us. We can take More or Less of Him, More or Less of His grace, His guidance, His gentle guiding hands in our lives. In Philippians 4:12, Paul the Apostle stated; "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.", which is really important to consider... he understood that he could be content with more or less, because he tore down those barriers between himself and God. Once you get a more open fellowship with God, you are setting the stage in your life to remain content, fulfilled, satisfied, as well as empowered and protected by God; More or Less! Again, Paul made a grand statement to that affect in Romans 8:38-39 , which reads; "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Therefore, regardless of your more or less life, there are NO barriers between you and God! Easier said than done? No... remember, He hasn't put any barriers up. So you can be as close to Him as you want... more or less... wherever and whenever you are, He will be right there with you. Way back in Genesis 28:15, He told the people then; "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.", which is certainly assurance that He's not putting any barriers in your way... it all up to you if you want a relationship with God; More or Less.

Yes... at first glance that does seem like a questionable title for a devotion, but today we are getting encouragement about keeping our contact with the Lord current, consistent, and much more second natural in our lives. The thing about 'pleasure points' is that there are countless points through our day when we receive/obtain pleasure, satisfaction, or even just comfort through things we do, things we consume (eat, drink, inhale, etc), and even the interaction we have with others. The amount of the pleasure isn't the key factor for this devotional... just that we consider that we have them. They are integral to our sense of well-being... our balance... our little gems of rejuvenation, some may say. See, our tangible lives can really help us understand and grasp some fundamental concepts for our spiritual lives. For example... sipping on a warm beverage on a crisp, cold morning can bring such a soothing calm to your body... watching your favorite show after a bustling work-day can revive your emotions and calm your nerves... chatting with a dear friend or loved one can really center you and leave you with a calm sense of belonging. Much the same way, interaction with the Lord can boost your spirit. Jesus once stated in John 8:29 ; " And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. ", which is to say that being in close fellowship with the Lord is one of those 'pleasure points' for you as you go through your day. Granted... who spends their day on a point-by-point basis acknowledging God, or checking with Him on every little detail? But again, that's closer to the point here... too often, we stop and acknowledge the Lord 'once' something seems too complicated for us, or out of our realm, or just too out-of-reach (spiritual/emotional things). These pleasure points in our lives really manifest themselves for us once we are in more of a 'second nature' relationship/fellowship with Him... you know, when He is more naturally part of your thoughts, more consistently in your communication (those quiet prayers during your day), and more thoroughly part of your decision and consideration process. No... you do not need to 'act' spiritual to be closer to the Lord... just use any and every moment you can to discuss your day with Him, to exchange your thoughts, to seek His guidance. These will become your pleasure points in your Faith Walk. So much so, that your spirit will be so in-tune with Him (second nature), you'll not really realize just how much more fulfilling your life is becoming. Paul the Apostle even once noted in Hebrews 11:5-6 ; " By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (6) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. " Why? Once you find it pleasing in your soul and spirit to 'purposely' fellowship with the Lord, His deeper presence in your life will bring back to you a watershed of blessings, peace, and contentment. Psalms 37:4 actually clarifies it with; " Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. ", which is confirmation that these little nuggets of time, these little tugs in the hem of His garment (as it were), and these little moments of dedication and devotion to the Lord will ultimately develop in your life as your new-found Pleasure Points.

Walking along in an open-market is one of the keen ways you can find deals, rummage through the variety of wares the peddlers have brought, and generally 'get out' and mingle with people. One of the core things I dislike about them is the pushy, chanting 'pressure' from some of the peddlers themselves... taunting you to buy something you don't really need, nor want. They see you coming down the way, and you see them, too... avoiding eye contact is one of the ways to bypass the harassment, but many times they are relentless. Eventually, that ' leisurely stroll through the farmer's market, or the swap meet ' becomes a defensive gauntlet of bantering, deflecting, and hiding/avoiding.... I hate it, and WISH I could just stroll through there being friendly, chatting with people, and just casually deciding to buy something. When my defenses are up, when I am avoiding, when I am 'ready to deflect' anyone who dare to approach me, the whole experience is tainted, is frustrating, and especially counter-productive to why I even when there in the first place! Conversely, I do the same thing with God, with spiritual elements in my life, with 'facing change' or anything to do with altering my "already well established" profile and persona in life. No, He doesn't necessarily 'pressure' me, or chase me along, or even banter me with religious chatter... there's just this nagging notion deep in my heart/soul that there is something I need to hear, something I need to answer, something to which I need to give attention. Too often, we subconsciously deflect these notions, these nudges in our souls, and actually put up barriers, borders, boundaries... and apply a defensiveness about our lives... again, subconsciously, so not quite so obvious to others, let alone us directly! We shield these 'dark places' from exposure, from 'light being shed on them', and from then having to face the challenge of making a change in our lives. 1 John 1:5-7 reads; " This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (6) If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. ", which is to say... letting down our guard is actually a perfect way to either refine the exposed trait of our life (maybe we have a hidden talent), or discarding it altogether. That last verse clarifies it too, by reminding us that He is not wanting to expose something in your life to taunt you, to incriminate you, to judge you... but, to cleanse you 'from all sin'... make your life lighter and healthier. Exodus 33:14 even reminds us that God was working to encourage the people as they were about to embark on their 'who knows where we are going' journey, " And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.", which is to say that He does NOT expect you to make any journey alone. He is calling you to walk WITH Him, not alone. Even better, He reminds us that "He will give us rest "... rest from having our defenses up, from being protective, from having our guard 'always on', as it were. How? Not an easy thing to do... the barrage of 'sales pitches', and 'well meaning people with ulterior motives' has tainted us SO much, we don't ever really realize how defensive we are, actually... how natural and normal it seems to ever-so-easily dismiss the thoughts., the insight, the encouragement from others. One of the key ways you can un-teach yourself this core 'barrier' you have is to give thought, give time, give consideration for the 'what if' part of God... give yourself time to at least weigh the thoughts, ideas, and premise that God is calling out to you (see the When God Can't Find You devotional)... asking you to fellowship with him. Philippians 4:8 declares; " 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 ." Go ahead, Drop Your Guard, and learn to Discard some junk in your life!

"I can do it myself", "No, I don't need your help", or even "I got this" are statements of independence, self-fulfillment, and even just stubbornness. Sure, we must be able to do things for ourselves and having a healthy measure of 'take care of yourself' is a natural part of many of our lives. There 'are' times when we do actually depend on others, or things, and even God Himself. Whether the dependency is voluntary or not is the focus of our devotional, today. Essentially, we 'depend' on the Lord involuntarily; our salvation, His will, His peace, etc... those are Him-to-Us actions/events. But, when we commit ourselves to Him AND 'purpose' to depend on Him... those are Us-to-Him actions/events.. That triggers/grows our faith and trust, which bolsters our hope, joy, and peace. In fact, 2 Colossians 2:6-7 states; " As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: (7) Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. ", which is an admonishment to grow, to live, to experience and express yourself. Depending on the Lord may also exhibit itself through your failings, through your imperfections, even just your 'lack'... whether you have a physical infirmity, an emotional weakness, or just a lack of passion/drive for life itself... He can work a work in your life. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 proclaims; " And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. ", which is to say that He makes you whole, He can/will work in your life, He uses your humble surrender to complete your life. Once you get to the place in your life that you not only depend ON Him, but depend IN Him, you will have a deep and satisfying peace and completeness... as it states in John 14:20 " At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you ."

It would be nice to actually 'see' thankfulness, to have a visual representation of it... we'd all probably have pictures on our walls of it, photos on our phones, ornaments around our homes, and other tangible items that remind us of what thankfulness looks like.  But, today's devotional is not about what thankfulness actually looks like; afterall, it's not actually tangible, it's not something you can touch, hold, or grasp. Thankfullness is an attitude, it's a quality of your personality, and it is certainly a perspective of life around you.  Remember, Colossians 3:15 states; " And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. ", which is an admonition that when you combine the peace of God ruling in your heart (not only during holiday times) and a thankful spirit, His grace will spill over in your life, His love will be your love, and especially His sight will be your sight! As we look on this life with a thankful perspective, His blessings will allow you to see things in His Spirit and your life will be so enriched, so comforted, and thoroughly touched with mercy.  Back when Saul of Tarsus (soon to become Paul) was stricken with blindness from his 'Damascus Road' experience with the Lord, Ananias came to his home and prayed for him, and the Holy Spirit touched his life...  Acts 9:18 tells us; " And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized .", which is how thankfulness is in our lives; we see things so much differently.  The Holy Spirit in our lives gives us 'new sight', a sight that through the Lord's eyes, a sight from His grace and mercy... no longer tripped by the bad things we see in this world...  no longer downtrodden with what appears pending doom... by His wounds, we are healed!  Now, THAT is the sight of thankfulness... a sight from God Himself. Therein, we can rejoice, we can experience a deeper spiritual joy, we can certainly share that thankfulness with an assurance that it will never end.  Unlike the 'happy moments' of this world (holidays, vacations, celebrations, etc.), His is a joy, peace, and deep satisfaction that will never cease.  Psalms 100:4-5 even encourages us to; " Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (5) For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations .", which is assuredly The Sight of Thankfulness!

So many times through my life, I've had others slander, accuse, misunderstand, and even misrepresent me... and these 'character slaughter' actions are so hard to overlook, so hard to get over, and especially very hard to refrain applying my own vengeful version of retaliation in return! But, many years ago, the Lord quickened my heart with; "consider the source"... that was all... " consider the source ". And, it made me do two things; give thought to the person from whom this is coming would God, Jesus, the Lord, speak to me that way. Through that quickening, I learned to be patient and enduring with those around me. After-all, Colossians 3:13 reminds us; " Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. ", which is truly an 'anger stopper', an 'argument diverter', and even better, an opportunity for the Lord to work... in you and them! Also, as the second point references, God would never 'speak to me that way', nor would He EVER speak to me 'through' someone else! That is critical to understand, especially regarding 'consider the source'... because you have a direct connection, a direct link, a permanent and direct fellowship with the Lord, He will never, ever channel His message FOR you, through someone else... regardless of how dramatically emphatic they are otherwise! See, Ephesians 1:7-8 admonishes us, that; " In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (8) Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; ", which is a glowing reminder that He died for your soul, not your 'mother-in-law', not your pastor, not even that well meaning and dearest family member or friend. Sure, they can be encouraging, they can be supportive and even instrumental, they can even be a wonderful sounding-board for your life... but, none can replace His grace in your life, His patience and love for you, and certainly guide you in His plan! Never forget how much Jesus cares for you. Isaiah 61:10 even proclaimed; " I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. ", so regardless of what others on earth think/feel about you... He, God Almighty holds you in highest regards. That leaves me hopeful, as I consider the source of others' railings. Romans 5:5 even states; " And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. ", which is yet more confirmation for you, for others rarely are sacrificing their lives to 'lift you up'! So the moment you feel that twinge of anger, that prick/sting of pain, that awful and ugly sorrow and discouragement that clouds over your soul... Consider the Source !

Have you ever tried to listen to someone complaining, someone describing a horrible woe, anguish, or delimma? Many times in my life, I've encountered " that's over my head " dilemmas, or " I have no answer for that " questions, and even " that problem is just too complicated to know where to start " predicaments, and they all leave me discouraged, disappointed in myself, or even worse just completely helpless and somewhat useless.  Now, depending on the predicament (significance), you can just 'chock it up to experience' and keep moving along.  But, there are many, many times this occurs as I am interacting with people (family, friends, life-long relationships, etc), and it is not so easy to just let it go. Our devotional today reflects on just how the Lord can and does use us right in that moment of helplessness. See...  as I listen to others and hear their laughter and their pain, their fears and their dreams, even their questions and their opinions, I sometimes quiet that 'ready to speak' side of me, and just listen...  helplessly listening.  As a devout and committed Christian man, I know the Lord is strong in my heart, my mind, my very life, and too quickly I can be 'poised and ready' to pounce out an answer or guidance, and sometimes even encouragement and admonition, or judgement and rebuking.  Then, I remember that 'greater is He that is in me', and just quiet myself so His Spirit can address this issue before me.  Remember, 1 Corinthians 6:19 says; " What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? ", which all-too-often is used as a rebuke from one Christian to another regarding doing something 'wrong' with our bodies, whether it be eating, drinking, or smoking, to name a few.  But, actually, since my/your body IS the temple of the Holy Spirit, how about me/you just sit there and 'helplessly listen', and watch the very Spirit of the Lord 'work a work' through us! The next time you find yourself in a place where you can minister with someone else, rather than quickly providing them with some logical or 'makes sense' supportive help, take a breath and settle your heart... and maybe even treat this like God did when Moses was approaching the burning bush.  In Exodus 3:5 , it states; "And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.", which not to say someone cannot approach God, but rather remember to do it reverently, humbly, and certainly with a posture of patience and surrender. Jn 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Yes, Reality is real. Our own perspectives and perceptions impacts reality for us. The definition of this word is tough to grasp sometimes, but Wikipedia explains it as; "the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within the universe, as opposed to that which is only imaginary, nonexistent or nonactual. " These are questions about existence. As to why reality exists and the purpose of 'all this', that is even tougher. But the simple answer is, ' Because God said so ' (roll your eyes, I know!). As the image depicts, there are two walls there. The lower one (light green) is perpendicular to the background one (dark green), which is a perception problem. The core purpose however is for us to have fellowship with God... a time and place where we can experience His 'wonder', but also to turn back to Him with appreciation, gratitude and especially recognition of the vastness of this wonder of His. From the depths (and mysteries) of the universe to the minuteness of life at the molecular level, His wonder is beyond explaining. We simply 'stand in awe' of this wonder. Trying to explain it leads to babble, cyclical reasoning and worse, the most profound gibberish known to man. Sure, we still grapple to understand, to get it all documented, to make an outline and even establish a formula. But, at its very core, there is 'trust' that God holds the why, He holds the what, and certainly He holds the how, when, and where. Trust is faith, and the bible reads in Hebrews 11:1 that " Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. " One of the translations of that verse (the Message version) reads as; " The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. " Lost or Saved Why am I feelings and hearing these things? Why am I even here right now at this exact moment in time? Why does this Earth exist? Why does anything exist when it could just be silence or something? What's happening right now in my mind? I feel frickin detached from reality right now. What is happening? The questions you are asking are good, although you are feeling bad, possibly 'lost' about all of this (the universe, the earth, even yourself). While we do live among others and discuss things with each other (reasoning) and even follow others' examples (herd mentality), we still have a feeling of " Where are we going, and why? ". This lost feeling exposes something of a hopelessness in our lives. We are reaching out (grasping) for guidance, for direction, and certainly answers. Jesus provides the answer(s) for our grappling. John 14:6 tells us, " Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. " God made this place (the universe, the planet, then us) and is ready to fellowship with us, but we have to 'meet Him halfway', as it were. In part, James 4:8 reads, " Draw near to God, and he will draw nigh to you... ". As you have done with these questions, reaching out and searching for God means you are facing toward Him and seeking His guidance. Only He can actually answer the questions in your soul. Sure, all of us have similar or identical questions, but there 'are' many who do not even seem to care or give any attention to His leading. God cries out to the world "I made all this so that we could have fellowship. Please come", but not many take heed. Matthew 22:14 actually tells us, " For many are called, but few are chosen ". Then, when we do call on God and watch for Him in our lives, He tells us ( John 14:18 ), " I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. " How? He provides the Holy Spirit to reside inside our hearts, but He does not stuff the Holy Spirit into us whether we asked for Him or not! Questions and Trust Many would say, " If God would answer my questions, I would trust Him ". Remember, when you trust God, He will answer your questions! This is a 'you first' proposition God has made with mankind. He made the universe, He made the planets, He even made you. But He cannot make you trust Him. That is something you have to do first. This is the "draw closer" meaning of James 4:8 we mentioned earlier. But do not get too carried away with the "He will answer your questions" part. "All in His time" is the way to approach what He answers you and when. Think along the lines of telling a 4-year-old child about driving a car. They are a bit too young (immature?) to grasp the details and responsibilities that go with certain knowledge. In many ways, God moves in our lives in stages and sequences. 1 Corinthians 13:11 reminds us, " When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. ". As John 14:26 reminds us, " But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. " God-Shaped Hole In simple terms, there is a God-Shaped Hole in each of us. Some time ago, this concept was discussed here on the Got Questions system ( God-Shaped Hole ), and the music band named Plumb produced a song about it back in the early 90s ( God-Shaped Hole, by Plumb ). Even over in Luke 11:9 , Jesus told the people, " And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. "