Learning to accept and yield to the sovereignty of God is not an easy process. When it seems our prayers only hit the ceiling. When we can’t understand “WHY!” in all the affliction of our circumstances. Everything we thought we knew about the character and ways of God isn’t making sense. Our faith may be deeply shaken or feeling shattered under the weight of a broken heart. The disappointments and suffering sometimes leads us into a dark night of the soul that no one would ever choose. As believers we are forced to deal with scriptures that we would prefer to quickly pass over.

    Is anyone excited about being invited to come and die? “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25). Or, what about those not mentioned by name in the Hebrews Hall of Faith, “of whom the world was not worthy…having attained a good testimony of faith yet did not receive their promise.” (Hebrews 11:38-39).No, that is NOT encouraging! And, none of us go around believing for the promise at the beginning of John 16:33! “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” It’s definitely not easy to embrace this scriptural command to be cheerful in the middle of our trials and suffering. But, that is exactly what we’re told to do in the process of learning how to live in the overcoming power of Jesus.

    I once heard a message by a minister that had paid a high price for persevering faith. He said, “Both Satan and God are out to kill us, the choice is ours who gets to do the job!” What a sobering statement! Though I didn’t fully understand his premise at that time, I never forgot that message and have drawn from the truth of it many times. Our best option is definitely to choose a loving Father God that not only promises a glorious eternity, but peace that passes understanding, sufficient grace, merciful kindness, and a future with hope. 

    Some years after experiencing a radical salvation, I found myself captive in a deep dark pit of depression; and couldn’t see any way out. At some point I came to the realization that I was faced with a choice. I could continue down the slippery slope into the deep dungeon of hopeless despair, defending and holding on to all my dashed dreams, rejected woundedness with self righteous victimizing pity; or choose to believe that God is Who He says He is in His Word. That meant no longer believing in a God that was supposed to fit into all my boxes. It required making the critical choice to believe that the Word of God is more real than my feelings. To surrender to the truth that He is sovereign and worthy of worship even if I never understand His ways or purpose in my circumstances. The light of His Word began to shed light in my darkness. It was a process of learning to discover His sufficient grace with mercy and blessings in each new day, and choosing gratitude instead of victimization with it’s accompanying hopelessness. God’s word truly became light unto my steps. 

    Father God, I pray for anyone finding themselves relating to these words. Please remove any blinders from their eyes. May Your merciful loving kindness heal broken hearts and help them forgive those that betrayed and wounded them. Break them free from the chains of bondage, victimization and self pity. Let them know your goodness and find your empowering sufficient grace to make the hard choice of surrender to Your sovereignty. Help them accept that Your ways are not our ways, nor are Your thoughts our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8) May the truth of Your Word shed light in the darkness; revealing Your overcoming path for them. In Jesus’s Name, amen.

    May the following scriptures be light in the dark for you as much as they were for me. 

    “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalms 27:13-14) 

    “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)  

    “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

    “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”  (Isaiah 41:10)

    I truly believe and declare, that like me, you will also discover the resurrection healing power of God in your life. You will not only experience the reality of Isaiah 61, but you will now qualify to walk in an anointing of those called to set other captives free.

    “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” Isaiah 61:1-3, 6a-7 NIV

 

Photographer unknown, Free Sunrise Wallpaper Wallup.net posted 3/5/2017

All scriptures are from NKJV unless otherwise stated.

© JoBeth Kested 2023