Thinking of... the people who Satan has ensnared, stuck and refusing God's help.

With God, everything is possible...
Because I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me!

[Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."]

I don't know how to talk effectively. But no matter because [points above] everything is possible with God.

Funny Conversation just took place.
My sister was in school, and she called from the payphone to home, asking if we were picking her up.
Just when I answered, she suddenly said, "Hello? Hello? Why are you not answering?"
And there I was nearly shouting into the receiver, saying "Hello? Can you hear me?"
[obviously something wrong with the connection]
It was as if I could hear her, but not answer, and she could answer me, but not hear me at all. Like a great chasm that works like a one-way mirror, just that it handles audio.

And then I thought back to this discussion, which I just visited and was in a great muddle about, where there were Christians and non-Christians arguing about whether the Bible and Creation were true, and about evolution. Both sides presented chunks of facts and arguments...[message count at 288!] but both sides were just shouting back at each other.
It was just like the non-Christians shouting at the Christians, asking for answers, and the Christians hearing everything, but unable to get their answers back at the other side. Maybe it's spiritual, that the 'god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.' (2 Corinthians 4:4)
I think God just showed me how it is in the spiritual realm.

2 Cor. 4:5
"For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake."

And then for the past few days, while I felt like I was walking in the darkness of a dry desert... God has shown me how wise He is, and He has humbled me too. For the past week, I had been showing false humility... But in this time of trial, where it was as if all the things of the world were silenced, when I felt as if God wasn't even there, where nothing brought me joy, even prayer or worship... God has carried me through it. I have learned so many things. I know that nothing else can bring joy except knowing God. All these because God has provided it.

Isaiah 50:10
"Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God."

:Feeling sort of positive now, but still walking:

And this was posted in the Christianity.com Forums here:
"The Dark Night of the Soul" is a term coined by Jt. John of the Cross. One might think this is a negative experience, but it is not. It may be a time of spiritual work, much like surgery is to a sick person. It is a time of deliverance; it draws us closer to Jesus into that deeper place.

How does one know if they are experiencing such a thing? I have felt aloneness... as if God wasn't there. I've even felt lost. Perhaps dry spiritually. Ones emotions can be numb. It may be a period of letdown after a spiritual high. I have felt a loss of longing.. to even read or pray. Nothing seems to satisfy: not the preaching nor the worship. Not from the effects of disobedience, but knowing that you are in right standing, yet also knowing you aren't touching heaven nor is heaven touching you.

Is. 50:10 "Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant, who walks in darkness and has no light, yet trusts in the name of the Lord and relies upon his God?" This is not a description of a disobedient child of God; it is a righteous one who is walking in darkness!

What affect does this darkness have? All the appetites of a man are quieted.. no desire for anything prevails. All the senses are quieted.. doesn't want to look, see, hear, eat, or smell anything. Just a feeling of "nothing is worth any effort." How is this a good thing? All the trivialities of life are quieted and put to death so that the virtues can be awakened. No more selfishness, no more useless activity, no more pride, no more false joy.. it all dies away.

Is this suffering to be rejected? Having been through this, I know you may want to fix it, but don't. Be faithful to God and cling to what you last knew as well as a hope for the future. Patience will have it's perfect work in this darkness. Don't try to explain this to anyone, just endure and be transformed. Withdraw when you can (Jesus withdrew to himself). Keep yourself in a deep, inner, listening silence.

"God is freeing you from yourself and taking from you your own activity." St. John of the Cross. It is a deeper death to self so that we may be resurrected in newer, deeper life. A deeper relationship with our Lord, Jesus.

:):):) God is Goooooooooooooooooooooood.