by Ester yusufu | 26 June 2022 08:46 pm06
Have you ever met people who only reach out to you when they need something? They don’t check on you, don’t build a relationship, and the only time they contact you is when they’re in trouble. And as soon as you help them, they disappear—until the next crisis.
It doesn’t feel good, does it?
Now imagine how God must feel when people treat Him the same way.
That’s the kind of shallow relationship many people today have with God. They don’t seek Him daily, don’t pray, read the Bible, or live for Him. But when trouble comes—sickness, financial crisis, family problems—they suddenly remember God and cry out for help.
This is not new. God addressed the same issue through the prophet Jeremiah:
“They say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their back to me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they say, ‘Arise and save us!’”
—Jeremiah 2:27
God was pointing out how His people had abandoned Him, replacing Him with idols—yet when disaster struck, they expected Him to rescue them. It’s a picture of hypocrisy: ignoring God in everyday life but calling on Him in emergencies.
Sadly, this describes many believers today. Prayer has become a last resort. Worship is occasional and often transactional. Reading Scripture is rare. People don’t seek God for who He is—but for what He can do.
God desires relationship, not ritual. He is not a vending machine for miracles. Jesus made this very clear when He said:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
—Matthew 7:21–23
This passage isn’t about atheists or unbelievers—it’s about religious people. People who were doing “spiritual” things but lacked a real relationship with Jesus. They used His name, but did not live under His lordship.
Let’s be honest: seeking God only when you need something is spiritual manipulation, not faith. It’s using God as a backup plan instead of honoring Him as Lord. That mindset doesn’t lead to blessing—it leads to judgment.
In Jeremiah 2:28–29, God responds to this false religiosity:
“But where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you, in your time of trouble! For as many as your cities are your gods, O Judah. Why do you contend with me? You have all transgressed against me, declares the Lord.”
—Jeremiah 2:28–29
He’s saying, “If your false gods could give you comfort, success, healing, or security—then why don’t they help you now?” God doesn’t want us to lean on superstition, anointing oils, or religious items. He wants our hearts.
A true believer doesn’t seek God only for deliverance but lives daily in His presence—whether in peace or in pain. God is not just Savior in trouble; He is Lord every day.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
—Deuteronomy 6:5
This love is not conditional. It’s not based on answered prayers or prosperity. It’s based on knowing Him—and walking with Him through all seasons.
We need to return to authentic faith—a faith that honors God whether life is good or hard. Here’s how:
When we do that, we won’t even need to beg for blessings—because relationship brings access. Jesus said:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
—Matthew 6:33
May the Lord open our eyes to see Him not just as a rescuer but as our Father. May He transform our hearts to desire Him daily. And may we be found faithful when Christ returns—ready for His kingdom, not just His miracles.
Shalom.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2022/06/26/but-in-times-of-trouble-they-say-stand-up-and-save-us/
Copyright ©2025 Wingu la Mashahidi unless otherwise noted.