Tag: lonely

Posted in Life

What if no one shows up?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash

I host and facilitate a weekly online men’s bible study and discussion group. As host, I open up the Zoom room a few minutes before the scheduled start time and wait for everyone to join.

For some reason, it really feels strange being on Zoom all by myself. I sit there for a few moments and look at myself. I make sure I look okay. I brush my hair to the side. I make sure the lighting is okay. I make sure I’m not too close or far away from the camera. I shuffle my lesson papers around.

My mind starts to wonder.

  • What if no one else shows up? What if they all forget that we’re meeting today. I sent out reminders, so that doesn’t seem possible.
  • Maybe I set up the room wrong. No, that’s not possible. I don’t set up that part of the meeting.
  • Maybe everyone is traveling or sick, and can’t make it today. Would all fifteen guys would be indisposed on the same day? Doubtful.
  • Maybe the internet isn’t working right. I check my email. Everything is in order.

<Ding>

The first person shows up, and seconds later, more appear on my screen. All those thoughts drain from my mind, and our group is underway.

Years ago I had some similar analog thoughts. Analog means we actually met in person. I would open up for an appointment, meeting class, and then sit there wondering if anyone would show up. There were times when I got stood up for an appointment. No call, nothing, just a no show. A few of those and you start to get paranoid.

It really only happened a few times. But one time is enough to get your mind racing with all the “What ifs…”

Posted in Grace, Life

Where is He?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

EmptyChair

“O Lord, why do you stand so far away?” (Psalm 10:1).

There’s a great question. Why would God keep His distance? Why does He seem so far away? Why does God seem like He’s not around? More importantly, why does God seem like He’s not around when we need Him?

Jesus said He would always be with us (Matthew 28:20). He promised to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). God dwelt in the midst of His people in a tabernacle (Exodus 25:8), a temple (1 King 16:13) and His own Son (John 1:14). We hang onto these promises for dear life, yet we have this nagging sensation that God has abandoned us because of something we’ve done or haven’t done.

Maybe it’s because we expected it to be easy. We figured that if God were around we could coast. That He would open up a hole for us to run through, provide the momentum, and run interference for us. So each challenge, problem or dilemma makes us wonder, “Hey, God, what’s up? Why are you so far away?”

Perhaps we need to hear again what Jesus said in the gospel this morning: “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33.) It’s going to be hard, difficult, infuriating, impossible. But that doesn’t mean for a minute that God isn’t around. In some ways, it’s proof that He is. Jesus said He would bring conflict into families, persecution to the church, hatred toward His disciples and a cross for those who follow. Since the new life He gives us runs counter to the wide path that leads to destruction, we can expect to feel friction, experience conflict and get to know rejection when we follow Him. So He must be close by.

Actually, if you keep reading Psalm 10, you’ll notice that it’s the wicked who claims that God’s not around. We know better.