I heard a sermon yesterday on trusting God and how He is always faithful and will never fail us etc. Which is totally true... However as I walk through the reality of terminal illness in my family, I'm aware of my own capacity to doubt and forget of the spiritual reality of God's promises. The devil will and does take any opportunity he can to weave doubt and deception into our thoughts and he's good at it... However the bible's up front about life, it tells us 'in this world we WILL have troubles', (so let's not get arsey with God when stuff happens) because it goes on to say 'but fear not because Christ has overcome the world'. That means whatever you are currently wrestling with - God has it sorted. You see if we never had any doubts, fears or challenges we'd never know the faithfulness of God when we come out the other side. My experience leads me to believe that it is part of the maturing process to reach a point of profound doubt; so God can take us to a new place of deeper reality. But we have to be open God's way of doing things which is the work of waiting.
Sadly some folks get side tracked to a place of disillusionment, blinding them to the hope and perspective of their future. It's a dangerous place 'disillusion' because it's rooted in the pride of our own very limited understanding. Left unchecked this place hardens the heart towards the only thing that's going matter outside of time. It's important during such times to be aware of the attitude of our heart. I've found it helpful to be real, humbly honest with God, as truth opens up the way to hope. Pray from that place and God will hear your payers, but know He'll answer them in His way.
In light of what God has done for us can we just wait a while, can we choose to be humble and give Him the benefit of our doubt, while we wait on Him to come through, to prove Himself faithful? Sweet cheeks - it's OK to wrestle with doubt be encouraged the very fact you're wrestling means you're still spiritually alive!
And God will come through.... hugs Ruth x
You're right, the Bible doesn't promise us an easy life, it promises difficulties. None of the greats of the Bible had a bed of roses - they all learned to face troubles. So much of Scripture is written with hope from a situation of trial - think of how many passages look forward to something better, despite being under attack, in exile, etc. Troubles aren't an absence of God, they are opportunity to face things together with God.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the encouragement. You're the second blogger I've read today with this message (the other one was Jeff Goins, who quoted from The Lord of the Rings - Sam encouraging Frodo near the end. If the very next blog I read has the same message I'll believe it is God telling me something!
ReplyDeletethanks for your feedback guys - that encourages me too... Hugs Ruth x
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