John 10:28-29 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”
Have you ever been through a time in your life where the world seemed to be collapsing around you, all that you hoped for had grown dim, and the way out was nowhere to be found?
Well, if you have or your in that place now, your not alone.
As a young man, I went through a time of spiritual awakening that carried with me for the rest of my life. As a 12 year old boy, I heard God’s call independent of my parents faith. That call was accompanied by baptism and soon thereafter a spiritual attack like I’d never seen before.
As a young man, I was gripped with fear at night as I was certain a demonic spirit was terrorizing me. It wasn’t until I learned to practice spiritual warfare did the Lord turn the fear into boldness.
I don’t find it coincidental how the enemies attacks seemed to be come at me on multiple fronts during this period of personal faith in Christ. I was once awoken by what sounded like a thousand demons screaming at me in a chaotic mixture of rage and hatred. It was all I could do to fall out of my bed and stumble into my parents room, bury my head and cry. Later in life, I learned my mother had heard the same screaming follow my dad as he left for work one day.
During my lowest time, when I was drowning in my fears, it was then the Lord reminded me that He was truly near.
Not long after these attacks I was awoken but this time it wasn’t fear that gripped me but peace. As I wearily opened by eyes it seemed like I was being cradled in God’s arms, His loving embrace filled me with hope and I knew He was near.
Isaiah 49:13 “Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted.”
Where do you draw your comfort and peace from?
If you are living in fear and anxiety, run to the comforter. His strength is more than enough to sustain you. His arms are gentle and they are sure to guide you through whatever you are enduring, the key is to endure. Remember the goal isn’t always to get through your circumstances but to grow through them.
He knows our weaknesses…
Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
The process of growth and trust is one that God will develop in us if we will only let Him. If we try to rush the process that He is working in us, we will find ourselves back to where we began, crying out for answers, wondering where God is in the midst of our dilemma.
Remember, He who formed the stars in the sky, who laid out the heavens with a brush of His hand; your circumstances are not difficult for Him. They are not so complex that He can’t figure out how to get you through them—-they are easy for Him!
You may feel like your in the cave of despair, surrounded by darkness and all hope is lost. It is then, when you cry out to Jesus, He picks you up and holds you close and reminds you, you are His.
1 Peter 5:10 “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.”
He knows what you can endure, He knows how far to let you struggle until it’s time to reach out and rescue, and when He does His timing is perfect.
He is teaching you to be stronger, to trust, to see that He is always near.
*Just remember, even though there is such comfort in His arms, we are not meant to dwell there.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”
You are protected!
Being protected doesn’t mean you won’t go through trials and tribulations, it doesn’t mean that you won’t suffer loss or injury….it means He keeps you for an eternal purpose.
Stop thinking worldly minded. This temporal short term thinking is of the world, not of a child of God. If you have committed your way to Christ, you are not of this world–you belong to a heavenly Kingdom that will endure forever…..God keeps this in mind, so should you.
The more you peer into God’s goodness, the more the light of His glory becomes visible. Come out of your cave of despair, listen for His gentle voice and hear His instruction, He will let you know what you should do next.
I can tell you from experience, the instruction He gives is usually in the form of trust. He reminds you that if He led you through that last storm, He will do it again, and again, and again….
He is always Faithful…..always.
He is always good. His purposes are always just and right. When everything around us is unstable, He remains the same. He never changes.
2 Corinthians 4:17 “For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison.”
You have to walk to get stronger. The walking can seem more difficult at first, particularly if God has been carrying you through the most difficult road. Don’t despair, just know He is producing in you gold, refined by fire.
In the end, He will present you as His own, forged by His hand…….it is then you will see the fullness of all His goodness.
U.T. 