Where Are You, God?

How many times have I asked this very question? The difference this time when I asked is that I got an

I recently endured ACL reconstruction. For me, when I was told that I had to go through the surgery and 6 months of recovery before I could get back to running, soccer, biking, and rock climbing, it was just as bad as giving me a life sentence.

If you've read any of my past Devotions here on CBN.com, you know that I am a very active guy. So being told I couldn't do the things I enjoy for a while was quite a blow. After some tears, prayer, and counsel of family and friends, I realized it wasn't that bad. It wasn't cancer, and it wasn't death; it was a relatively routine surgery. So I stopped my dramatics.

I blew out my ACL while playing soccer during a typical Sunday afternoon pick up game. I was going for the ball and stepped in a hole or simply misplaced my foot. I won't describe what happened, but I will say that it was the only injury I've ever incurred whereby I actually saw and heard everything as it happened. I'll leave the description at that, because it wasn't pretty.

If you don't know what ACL reconstruction is, please do a search on the Internet. There's tons of information out there. I don't want to bore you.

The surgery went fine. When I woke up, my right leg was in a knee immobilizer and the world was spinning much fasterthan what I was used to. It wasn't fun, but I knew it was necessary.

My wife comforted me while I was waking up from the anesthesia. Then she drove me home for a weekend of lying on my back trying not to get cabin fever while icing my knee 24/7. To put this in perspective, about the only time I am still is when I'm eating or sleeping. Anytime other than those two, I'm doing something. Type-A personality? I think so.

My wife was great at keeping me occupied. She made sure I was fed, watered, entertained, etc Sounds like a pet doesn't it? Sorry! She was a great caretaker and I was/am really blessed to have her.

Then Monday came. She had to go back to work. I was stuck at home to recover and to work from home since I wasn't permitted to drive. I was still on crutches and still in the knee immobilizer. If you don't know what a knee immobilizer is, it's a brace that goes from your ankle to your upper thigh to make sure that you do not move your knee. Getting around with it is not easy, but manageable.

I was left to getting the things I needed, i.e. food, water, ice, bathroom breaks, etc If my hands were free, that wouldn't be a problem. However, I was on crutches. So doing things myself was not an easy task.

Back to Monday. I started my morning after my wife and son left for school. After a few frustrating attempts to fix something to eat and drink for breakfast, I was struggling to catch my breath and figure out how to do this without losing my temper. (Side note: it takes a lot for me to lose my temper. I am a very calm person even in stressful/chaotic situations. So I was being tested.) Not only was I struggling to get around the kitchen, but I also hit my foot a few times, which, of course, prompted pain to shoot straight up my leg and hit me right in the knee.

As I was struggling with pain and patience, I very quickly asked God where He might be. For me, that's a foolish question. I'll get to that later. Almost as quickly as I asked the question, I got an answer. The answer was something along the lines of, "What do you mean where am I? I've been here all along. Where have you been?"

I'm sure that it won't surprise you that the answer I got hit me like a ton of bricks. I immediately started to think about "Where I have been." I'd been busy letting others take care of me. I'd been busy wondering how I would handle not running, playing soccer, etc I'd been wondering what the future would hold for me with a gimp leg for the next few months. Did I make time for God during a time that I was at a slower pace? It was a time when I have more time to pray and talk with God. Did I take advantage of it? No! I was too busy wondering, planning, and running scenarios through my head. Sound like anyone you might know?

The funny thing about this whole lesson learned -- at least I think I've learned it -- is that I've been a Christian for just about my entire life. God has guided me through so many things. After I've made it through whatever difficulty I'm dealing with at the time, I have to laugh that once again I doubted Him. Once again my agenda has gotten in the way of His agenda, His guidance, and His blessing. Am I hardheaded? You bet!

There are many Scriptures that answer the question I posed earlier as to where God is. Here are two verses. Both are in Deuteronomy:

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged (Deuteronomy 31:8).

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Can He be any clearer? I was taught in church, college, books, and life that when something is repeated, generally the author means it. I am very certain He means it. I take comfort in it many times.

Today, every day, you have a choice. The next time you ask God, "Where are you?" you should be asking yourself, "Where am I?" You know where God is going to be. Where are you going to be?