Most people get to the end of their rope regularly and they've been doing that for generations. But sometimes people lose sight of the rope altogether. They see and feel nothing. And maybe you are there.
You know what to believe. (God is good. God is sovereign. God is using this for my good.)
You know how you ought to act. (I put my trust in You. I will not be shaken. I must rejoice in suffering.)
You know what to remember. (God's purpose is to glorify Himself. What men mean for evil, God uses for good. Suffering produces good things.)
You know the end. (All this will cease. Joy will come. Heaven is for real.)
But closed in by shadows and overwhelmed by pain, you're grasping and gasping - thinking of these things, doubting these things. And maybe you're wondering if you'll make it, afraid that you won't.
You need to know the Word of God, know the promises of God, know the character of God. You need to search the Bible in and out, discovering and holding tight to every revelation of His love and Lordship, sovereignty and power. You need to acknowledge your innate frailty and need for Him. You need to bank your hope and build your life on what He says.
However, a lot of the time, we have plenty of scriptural information and plenty of scriptural promises. The problem is that when the waves close in, banked hope and built life start quaking, because our eyes can't see. Face-down on the floor, biting carpet, trying to breathe, we start giving up.
We think that His grace isn't sufficient for today (though we want it to be). We feel like He isn't looking (though we know He is). We think our tears are useless and our failed efforts are pointless and that no good can come of it (though we know it can).
In these moments, you don't really need extra information. You don't need God to rend the heavens and come down, show you the full story and or heal you by storm. You don't need to run away.
What you really need is something God commanded: endurance.
You need endurance in what you already know. You need perseverance in the truth.
Your situation is not God's fault. The disquiet in your heart is not God's fault.
Your situation and disquiet call for one thing: war.
Your pain does not let you off the hook.
Get alone with God. Still your fast-beating heart. Take that deep breath that's killing you. Face the failures that floor you. Acknowledge that you are dust before the glory of God, that you know nothing compared to His infinite wisdom and deliberately bow your heart, soul, mind and strength to Jesus, the Founder and Perfector of your faith. Lean into the truth. Thank God for the truth. Repent of not believing the truth. And go to war.
Truth doesn't just stand there. Truth beats falsehood. Light is the only way to diffuse the dark. Fighting is the only way to win.
1) Remember the Gospel. Off the bat, He didn't have to create you or give you a chance. But He did. And though you sinned and had no way to reconcile your filth to His holiness, He died to redeem you. His blood was shed for you. He gave His life to save you. You did not deserve this kind of grace, but He lavished it on you anyway. This same Christ, familiar with suffering and triumphant over evil, will give you grace today. He has not changed. Remember what He did; remember what He promises to do. And be grateful. As long as you live, your story is "Amazing Grace". Spend some time thanking Him.
2) Remember why you live. Off the bat, because He created you and gave you a chance and redeemed you, your life is not your own. This means your hopes and dreams can go. This means that all the things the world goes after don't matter. This means that comfort and ease aren't the goal. This means that laying helpless is not meaningless. If you exist for the glory of God, you must believe that God will utilize every trial of your life for that purpose. He knows best how to glorify Himself through you. Trust Him to do that. Ask Him to do that. Pray for the faith to submit to that.
3) Pray the Scripture. "My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! ...My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word! (Psalm 119:25, 28)." The stories that charmed you as a kid will come alive to you in the depths of pain. The promises that made you happy last week will be your lifeblood this week. Bury yourself in the Word of God, because they are true. Read Psalms. Read the Gospels. Read Job. Cover the pages with tears. Cry out to God with the writers of Scripture. Don't leave. "Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive Him; on the left hand when He is working, I do not behold Him; He turns to the right hand, but I do not see Him. But He knows the way that I take when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold...He is unchangeable...What He desires, that He does. For He will complete what He appoints for me, and many such things are in His mind. Therefore I am terrified at His presence when I consider, I am in dread of Him. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me yet I am not silenced because of the darkness, nor because thick darkness covers my face (Job 23:8-17)."
4) Do something. Don't be silent in thick darkness. Don't be a recluse. Don't think that no one needs you. If you woke up today, it was for a reason. Tape the prayer of Isaiah 33:2 to your nose: "Be our strength every morning" and get up. God is faithful. Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged. Basically, get up, go to war, and see the salvation of your God.
5) Behold your God. Yes, see His salvation. Thank Him for little victories. Thank Him for spontaneous smiles. Thank Him when a breath comes easy. Thank Him when you almost fall, disrupt a bird nest, hear screeching and wings, and remember "His eye is on the sparrow so I know He watches me." Sing loud. When people randomly help you or reach out in love to you, they are an extension of God's hand. Thank Him. Don't let the words you dwelt on in silence disappear in the noise. Keep Scripture in the forefront of your mind. Pray without ceasing. When you don't think you can fight another day, ask God to fight for you, know He is fighting for you, thank Him for being your Defender. And pray this: "Don't let this thing go away until I've learned all you want to teach me. Always make me want You more than the disappearance of this trial. Make me more in love with You at the end of this than I was at the beginning. Have Your way in me." He has promised to turn it for good. He rules the world. Whatever happens, you can have peace and joy when He is enthroned in your heart, no rival.
This will end.
When you get to the end of this trial, you will realize that your fight didn't amount to much. When you were surrounded, hemmed in, with no progress, it was God who fought for you and made a way in the wilderness.
When you get the end of this trial, you will not say: "I regret trusting Him." You will lay face down and cry out: "Why did I not trust Him more?!"
When you get the end of this trial, you will not wish you had run away. You will acknowledge that Christ is enough.
So don't run.
Prepare to fight. Fight to win.
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And Step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
You know what to believe. (God is good. God is sovereign. God is using this for my good.)
You know how you ought to act. (I put my trust in You. I will not be shaken. I must rejoice in suffering.)
You know what to remember. (God's purpose is to glorify Himself. What men mean for evil, God uses for good. Suffering produces good things.)
You know the end. (All this will cease. Joy will come. Heaven is for real.)
But closed in by shadows and overwhelmed by pain, you're grasping and gasping - thinking of these things, doubting these things. And maybe you're wondering if you'll make it, afraid that you won't.
You need to know the Word of God, know the promises of God, know the character of God. You need to search the Bible in and out, discovering and holding tight to every revelation of His love and Lordship, sovereignty and power. You need to acknowledge your innate frailty and need for Him. You need to bank your hope and build your life on what He says.
However, a lot of the time, we have plenty of scriptural information and plenty of scriptural promises. The problem is that when the waves close in, banked hope and built life start quaking, because our eyes can't see. Face-down on the floor, biting carpet, trying to breathe, we start giving up.
We think that His grace isn't sufficient for today (though we want it to be). We feel like He isn't looking (though we know He is). We think our tears are useless and our failed efforts are pointless and that no good can come of it (though we know it can).
In these moments, you don't really need extra information. You don't need God to rend the heavens and come down, show you the full story and or heal you by storm. You don't need to run away.
What you really need is something God commanded: endurance.
You need endurance in what you already know. You need perseverance in the truth.
Your situation is not God's fault. The disquiet in your heart is not God's fault.
Your situation and disquiet call for one thing: war.
Your pain does not let you off the hook.
Get alone with God. Still your fast-beating heart. Take that deep breath that's killing you. Face the failures that floor you. Acknowledge that you are dust before the glory of God, that you know nothing compared to His infinite wisdom and deliberately bow your heart, soul, mind and strength to Jesus, the Founder and Perfector of your faith. Lean into the truth. Thank God for the truth. Repent of not believing the truth. And go to war.
Truth doesn't just stand there. Truth beats falsehood. Light is the only way to diffuse the dark. Fighting is the only way to win.
1) Remember the Gospel. Off the bat, He didn't have to create you or give you a chance. But He did. And though you sinned and had no way to reconcile your filth to His holiness, He died to redeem you. His blood was shed for you. He gave His life to save you. You did not deserve this kind of grace, but He lavished it on you anyway. This same Christ, familiar with suffering and triumphant over evil, will give you grace today. He has not changed. Remember what He did; remember what He promises to do. And be grateful. As long as you live, your story is "Amazing Grace". Spend some time thanking Him.
2) Remember why you live. Off the bat, because He created you and gave you a chance and redeemed you, your life is not your own. This means your hopes and dreams can go. This means that all the things the world goes after don't matter. This means that comfort and ease aren't the goal. This means that laying helpless is not meaningless. If you exist for the glory of God, you must believe that God will utilize every trial of your life for that purpose. He knows best how to glorify Himself through you. Trust Him to do that. Ask Him to do that. Pray for the faith to submit to that.
3) Pray the Scripture. "My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! ...My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word! (Psalm 119:25, 28)." The stories that charmed you as a kid will come alive to you in the depths of pain. The promises that made you happy last week will be your lifeblood this week. Bury yourself in the Word of God, because they are true. Read Psalms. Read the Gospels. Read Job. Cover the pages with tears. Cry out to God with the writers of Scripture. Don't leave. "Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive Him; on the left hand when He is working, I do not behold Him; He turns to the right hand, but I do not see Him. But He knows the way that I take when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold...He is unchangeable...What He desires, that He does. For He will complete what He appoints for me, and many such things are in His mind. Therefore I am terrified at His presence when I consider, I am in dread of Him. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me yet I am not silenced because of the darkness, nor because thick darkness covers my face (Job 23:8-17)."
4) Do something. Don't be silent in thick darkness. Don't be a recluse. Don't think that no one needs you. If you woke up today, it was for a reason. Tape the prayer of Isaiah 33:2 to your nose: "Be our strength every morning" and get up. God is faithful. Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged. Basically, get up, go to war, and see the salvation of your God.
5) Behold your God. Yes, see His salvation. Thank Him for little victories. Thank Him for spontaneous smiles. Thank Him when a breath comes easy. Thank Him when you almost fall, disrupt a bird nest, hear screeching and wings, and remember "His eye is on the sparrow so I know He watches me." Sing loud. When people randomly help you or reach out in love to you, they are an extension of God's hand. Thank Him. Don't let the words you dwelt on in silence disappear in the noise. Keep Scripture in the forefront of your mind. Pray without ceasing. When you don't think you can fight another day, ask God to fight for you, know He is fighting for you, thank Him for being your Defender. And pray this: "Don't let this thing go away until I've learned all you want to teach me. Always make me want You more than the disappearance of this trial. Make me more in love with You at the end of this than I was at the beginning. Have Your way in me." He has promised to turn it for good. He rules the world. Whatever happens, you can have peace and joy when He is enthroned in your heart, no rival.
This will end.
When you get to the end of this trial, you will realize that your fight didn't amount to much. When you were surrounded, hemmed in, with no progress, it was God who fought for you and made a way in the wilderness.
When you get the end of this trial, you will not say: "I regret trusting Him." You will lay face down and cry out: "Why did I not trust Him more?!"
When you get the end of this trial, you will not wish you had run away. You will acknowledge that Christ is enough.
So don't run.
Prepare to fight. Fight to win.
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And Step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
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