As I was enjoying my quiet time outside this morning, I sat there for several silent minutes just watching the beautiful soaking rain, feeling the cool air hit my face. The darkness was settling in and the thunder was rolling as I began pouring out my broken heart to my ever listening, oh so patient God.
As I begin casting my cares on Him, ( sick friends, lost family and friends, those in dire financial need, my country, my world ... the list goes on ) I began to feel overwhelmed, and helpless. I looked out at the heavy rain, and suddenly didn't think it would ever end! My heart cried out to God,
" Where are You Lord, will the rain ever end? How can I not be overcome by all the brokenness in this dark world? I just can't see You right now Lord! Where are You?!
Have you ever felt like this? Have you ever felt like your feet were stuck in quicksand? Have you ever felt momentarily overcome by the darkness around you, brought to your knees by your own brokenness? Please tell me that I am not alone! If by chance, you are that one person in a million who has never felt this way, then clearly, you must not live on this planet!
The truth is, from the time sin entered the world, with Adam and Eve, it has been a broken world, full of broken people, and the devil is desperate for you and I to camp out on that truth. The longer I focus on the darkness, the deeper I sink into that spiritual quicksand!
The only true " happy pill " in this broken world, is the Truth of Jesus Christ, hung on a cross, buried in the grave, and raised on the third day,( for you and me, and anyone else who will receive that life giving gift! ) and the only way out of that paralyzing, mind numbing spiritual quicksand, is to take my eyes off the darkness and look up to the Light of the cross!
While I sat there, impatiently waiting for God to speak healing to my hurting heart, a childhood memory came flooding my thoughts. I was reminded of the many times my parents took my three brothers and me on cave tours as youngsters. ( I mean the big ones like Natural Bridge, Carlsbad etc. ) It was always so fascinating to me to descend down intot he depths of those caves, feel the temperature change and see all that hidden beauty below the surface. We would travel further and further down, until we would finally reach the farthest point before heading back up, and ( without fail ) the tour guide would always turn the light off for a minute. ( I was sure it was much longer ) And let me tell you, it was dark! It was the kind of darkness that didn't allow you to see your hand in front of your face ... that paralyzing, panic inducing darkness that you just know is never going to end! During these times, I would scoot up as close to my dad as I could just before the lights went out. ( I tried to be very subtle about this so my brothers wouldn't think I was afraid ) In my child mind, I believed that if the lights didn't come back on, my dad would know how to get us out of there. I'd hold tight to an arm, hand or belt loop till the lights were finally turned back on.
My dad is, of course, only human, and I now realize, that had those lights, in fact gone out and stayed out, we would have all been in trouble. ( Dad included! )
That is however, not the case with my heavenly Father! He is never bound by darkness! He knows the way out, ( He made the way out! ) and He only asks that I stick close and hold tight while He leads me through the dark! I don't need to see, or even know the way out! ( That's a very good thing because I happen to be terrible at directions! ) I only need to grab hold of the One who does know, allow Him to lead me, and hold on tight! ( My amazing God doesn't need maps or a GPS, and it is so sweet to know that I can kick back and let Him drive with confidence! )
God's Word tells us that it is going to get dark out. We are told we will have trials, suffering and persecution in this life. We can be assured these things WILL happen, in fact, we are even told we will be hated for His name's sake .... BUT ... God gives us some other awesome promises as well!
~ If your hope tank has been running on empty, and you desperately need it refilled, listen closely, and take heart! This part is for you my weary friend! Take a moment ( or even two ) and meditate on, and relish in some of these wonderful promises from our generous heavenly Father! ( Really let your heart take it in .... the goodness of our loving God! ) ~
" Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
- Joshua 1:9
" The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,he enables me to tread on the heights."
- Habakkuk 3:19
" “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind,
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness....
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness....
.....I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them. "
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them. "
- Isaiah 42: 6-7, 16
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
- Psalm 139:12
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight
- Proverbs 3:5-6
" But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. "
- 1 Peter 2:9
" In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
- John 1:4-5
All these are promises from our faithful God who cannot lie! They assure us of His power and presence! They give us confidence and boldness in the midst of whatever circumstance we find ourselves in! The Truth is, our God has already won the victory through the person of Jesus Christ! His blood, shed on the cross, His body broken, and raised from the grave was for you and for me! Once I hand my life over to Him in faith, I am already victorious! ( So get behind me satan, and thank You Jesus!! )
Life may get hard. Our hearts may break. We may feel like we can't go on another step at times..... In short, it may get very dark out, but no matter how dark it gets around us, our victory has been purchased and is sure!
" So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”
- Hebrews 13:6
What can mere mortals do to me?”
- Hebrews 13:6
. " On the contrary:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. "
- Romans 12:20-21 for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
- Psalm 4:8
To put it in laymen's terms : We know how the story ends! With our eyes fixed on the cross, and our hearts resting on the promises, we have every reason to be hopeful, and every reason to rejoice! If there is any sadness, it must be for those who don't have this hope. That sadness should drive us to our knees on their behalf, as we ask God to use us to shine His light in a dark world! The purpose of our lives is to grab hold of the hands of those fumbling in the dark around us, those who are blinded by the things of this world, and as we grab hold of their hands, may we lead them to the only way out of the dark: JESUS!!
~ Dear friend who is struggling to see the light today, I pray that you will not find yourself overcome by the evil of this temporary world, but that you will overcome evil with the beautiful light of Jesus!
No comments:
Post a Comment