Hope in the Midst of Darkness

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God…I have trusted in your steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13:1,3,5,6

Every believer has times in life where it seems God is silent and distant. This might occur during a family tragedy or during times of struggle. This might occur in the face of illness or depression. We might experience this emotion for no reason at all, but it will be no less impactful. Simply put, there are times that we will want to pray with David, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?”

The challenge in these times is to remind ourselves that our emotions cannot be trusted. They are as fickle as a weed blown in the wind – leaning this way one moment and the other a moment later. It is important to remind ourselves, during such storms of emotion, of what is fact. This is exactly what we see David do at the end of Psalm 13, “I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” Notice the resolve in that statement. Regardless of how he feels, David says he WILL sing to the Lord.

Please do not think that I am professing some sort of “name it, claim it” theology. What I am suggesting is that we rest on the truth of scripture and not on our ever-changing emotions. We must build our lives upon the solid truths that we find in scripture. We must remember that God will never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). We must trust that our Lord is sovereign and has a plan for our lives (Jer. 29:11). We must remember that the way God brings about those plans in our lives will not be the way we would approach it (Isa. 55:8). As we rest on these truths, we must ask ourselves – will I trust in the Lord to do it His way, or will in demand that He do it my way (Prov. 3:5)?

God is moving and working to bring about a desirable outcome in your life – His desired outcome, not yours. While we cannot understand it, sometimes the path leads us through valleys and difficult places. However, we can trust that God is with us. We will never find ourselves in a place where He has forsaken us. While we might want to cry out – Where are you? – we must remember His promises. that He will not leave us and He will not leave us at the mercy of our circumstances. God is moving and working, regardless of our circumstances.

On Seeking Righteousness

As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

no one understands; no one seeks for God.

All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

No one does good, not even one.

Romans 3:10-12

Scriptures depiction of our hearts is not a pretty one. It clearly states, that left to our own devices, we would have nothing to do with God. We lack righteousness, understanding, desire, and value. However, by God’s grace these things to not have to be true.

We must come to the point that we recognize our sinfulness. We must recognize that there is nothing in us that would pursue God. Therefore, if there is an urge within us to move toward God, it is the Holy Spirit at work within us. Such yearnings should not be ignored. To sense God’s movement within your heart is a holy moment. It is a moment that should be given our utmost attention.

At its foundation, the call of God is a call to surrender. It is to recognize the verdict that the passage above renders, and to seek God’s forgiveness. In seeking forgiveness, we then surrender our lives to the will and purposes of God. As we surrender, salvation is ours. If you sense God drawing you, especially and the fundamental level of surrendering to Him, do not turn a deaf ear. Hear the Lord and respond to Him.

The True Value of a Life

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, 

if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, 

to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Acts 20:24

What is the all surpassing goal of your life? If I were to ask you, “What one thing do you want to accomplish before you die,” what would you say? I am sure our answers would vary depending on our backgrounds, ambitions, and desires. However, there is one way and one way only that we should answer that question; “that I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus.”

As if this was not a focused enough desire for Paul, he adds, “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself.” Paul was a man who had completely sold out to the cause of Christ. He had released all rights and privileges of his life to the purposes of the Lord. Certainly these things seem extreme to us, but could it be that this is what true discipleship looks like? After all, Jesus said things like, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). And, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). The call to follow Christ IS extreme.

Take some time today to consider your life. Where does your commitment level stand? If Christ asked you to take some radical step today, what would your answer be? Also…What sort of things might happen in our day and land if Christians begin to live this way? Do you think such an extreme mindset might impact your community and world? Is the cost of discipleship, when thought of in these terms, too high? Make it your ambition to “testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” It is for this cause we have been called.