Why some are disillusioned with God

Whether God answers our request to be healed or delivered from a difficult situation depends on why we are asking. If we wish to be healed so we can better serve him, he will say yes. If we wish to be healed so we can ¹"spend it on ourselves," he will not. 

Our challenge is knowing the difference. If we think we are asking for the right reason and are not, we become disillusioned with God. This is our shortcoming, not God's. 

We think God is a celestial Santa Claus or our heavenly butler and servant when, instead, He is the all-wise, loving, infinitely beautiful, and powerful Creator and Sustainer of all creation. 

"You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." Jas 4:3 

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Footnotes: 

¹ James 4:1-10  

[1] What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? [2] You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. 

You do not have, because you do not ask. [3] You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 

[4] You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? 

world = the systematic or worldwide pursuit by all humanity to find life in created things - such as wealth, fame, power, praise from others, sensual pleasures, etc. - instead of in the Creator (Rom 1:21-23) 

Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 

Passionate pursuit of created things instead of the Creator is like pursuing a woman other than your wife to fulfill your passions. In doing so, you are unfaithful to your wife and have made yourself her antagonist. 

[5] Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 

What kind of spirit has God put within us?  A spirit that He created that longs for infinite love. Love that can only be satisfied by the Source of love - our Creator.  He will not share in our pursuit or loyalty to any other lover. We will give Him all our loyalty and faithfulness, or we will give Him none of it. 

[6] But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Pride is the invitation that allows the evil one to get a foothold in our lives. Humility shuts the door on his foot and opens the door to grace. When we open the door to grace, we invite God in.  

[8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." 

Want to see God move on your behalf? Humbly recognize He is life itself and the only satisfier of our hearts. He knows best what we need most; we don't.