some of my friends and family are undergoing rough times right now, and have been, for at least a year. They've been praying, I've been praying, and yet, situations didn't seem to be resolved. We've talked about the Dark Night of the Soul, Wandering in the Desert, the aloofness (seemingly) of God.
I've been praying alongside, and remembering also the times I went through where God didn't answer my prayers for relief quickly or in the way I wanted.
Sometimes, He answers all of a sudden, out of the blue, after years of prayers, in ways we couldn't imagine but are so much better. Even BETTER than that, I have learned, and my friends have learned through these recent experiences, the dross is burned off and we realize that through this parching dryness, searching for literal water, we've been given spiritual water - His presence, His fellowship, even when we didn't see Him at first.
I'm learning that He wants me to want Him, first, before the blessings I ask for. Seek first His kingdom, and His righteousness, and then all these things will be added to you. In hindsight, I am glad for the purging and the trial by fire.
What I have learned recently (and I KNEW this already, but this new realization has sunk deeper into my soul) is that all the while I am undergoing the trials, God is there, making the trial BEARABLE. I don't know if I can explain this well. But I have looked back at things that have happened to me, knowing it was chastisement, but seeing God's LOVE and tenderness through and through. I guess I am reminded of the 3 Israelites in the fiery oven and Jesus there with them. I have seen this in some of the things my friends and family members have gone through, too. At first, they had to say in blind faith that God was with them even though they couldn't see. I saw the dross being burned off. Now they are seeing all of this, too. The love and faithfulness of God, sustaining them even though He brought them to pain.
This helps me understand further how God will be with those who undergo the lake of fire later. Besides the horribleness of teaching about eternal torment in a burning torture pit, there is the additional false teaching of how God won't be there - the "lost souls" will be eternally apart from Him. Or, some pastors have taught that hell is not a literal lake of fire, but the absence of God forever. How false both of these teachings are. He is a loving father, teaching us righteousness, never abandoning anyone.
Karen