Behind My Back

Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten about you?

If so, you are not alone. All of us, regardless of how much faith we possess, how many miracles we have experienced, how long we have attended church, or how long we have walked with God, go through seasons when we question how highly our issues, problems, and concerns rank on God’s agenda. There is a line in a popular hymn that we used to sing in the church I grew up in that makes the case much eloquently than I can. The line is “while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.” And perhaps more frequently than many of us may be willing to admit, we can feel as though God is passing us by—that while everyone else seems to be rapidly moving towards their goals, desires, and aspirations, we are stuck in neutral—or even reverse!

But I recently heard a preacher make a statement at a funeral that reminded me of just how untrue and unworthy of God that idea is. The preacher’s statement was not his main idea. It was a throwaway line, and I am still not sure that he grasped the profundity of his comment. To be completely honest, I was so mesmerized by his observation that I really didn’t hear anything else he said for the entire 30 minutes he was up speaking. He said that as we go through the trials and tribulations of life, we must always remember that “God is doing more behind my back than he is doing in front of my face.”

All of us are acquainted with the fact that so much of what occurs in our lives transpires behind our backs. And much of what transpires behind our backs in not always positive. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, says that your brand is what people say about you behind your back. LOL. When our backs are turned, people gossip about us. When our backs are turned, people conspire against us. When our backs are turned, people reveal their true colors. When our backs are turned, we often discover that a knife has been drawn and aimed in our direction. So much of what happens in our lives occurs when our backs are turned. And much of what happens behind our backs is not good. Sometimes I wish that God had created us with eyes in the back of our heads—so that we could see what really goes on when our backs are turned; so that we could see how many smiles disappear, how many frowns appear, and how much of our face to face interactions are with people who are two-faced.

So much of what happens in our lives occurs when our backs are turned, and so much of it is negative, that it may not be particularly comforting to know that God is doing more behind our backs than he is doing in front of our face. But I think that the preacher meant that statement in the same way that Job meant it when he said these words in Job 23:3-10. After losing his fortune, his family, and his health, Job had this to say:

If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling!I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would find out what he would answer me, and consider what he would say to me. Would he vigorously oppose me? No, he would not press charges against me. There the upright can establish their innocence before him, and there I would be delivered forever from my judge. But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

Job had the faith to understand that even though he didn’t know where God was, God knew where he was. Job had the fortitude to believe that even though he felt lost, God was not lost. And Job had the maturity to grasp the fact that even though it was outside the realm of his perception, God was still at work.

Take courage, my dear hearts.

God has not forgotten, forsaken, or abandoned you. God is at work in your situation, working everything out for your good.

Just because you may not see evidence of God’s favor, or perceive the reality of Gods presence, that does not mean that God is on vacation. Psalm 121:4 says that our God “never slumbers nor sleeps.”

God is doing more behind your back than he is doing in front of your face.