And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” 1 Kings 19:14
Again, God came to Elijah. This time, He came not in fire or in a loud, spectacular way, but in a still, small voice. God's servant was tired, and God brought him comfort. Elijah's focus had shifted from God to God's enemies. He had allowed his circumstances to overwhelm him, leaving him disoriented to God and feeling alone. So God encouraged him. God provided Elisha for him as a helper, friend, and companion. God removed Elijah from the activity for a time, so that he could rest and spend time with God. When the nation next saw Elijah, he was rejuvenated and refocused on God and His assignment. If you are overwhelmed by kingdom work so that your focus is no longer on God but on all that there is to do, let Him comfort you. Listen to His gentle voice. He will encourage you and provide exactly what you need to prepare you for what comes next. If He needs to remove you from your work for a time, He will. He may place a friend or colaborer beside you to help carry the load. God knows exactly how to encourage you. Let Him do so. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
Seems like God put a few people onto the same page in different devotionals again.
It's sometimes not easy to stay encouraged in this world. You could have everything to meet your needs and yet still find a lack of peace.
Discouragement comes easy. We expect things, either see them or don't see them. Our minds wonder and wander. They lose focus quickly. Sometimes we even obsess on why we have lost focus rather than on just letting go and grabbing ahold of the robe of our Master again.
I have been there more times than I can count. Depression used to be a very familiar feeling. There's many unique circumstances to our lives that sometimes it takes a special direction from God to align us to someone else who is just as special as we.
It's not that He doesn't hear our pleas or see our sorrows. Scripture says He is well acquainted with it. You feel alone? He was here as God, yet, would not trust Himself to any man. Because He knew the heart of man. His strength came from obedience to His Father.
Elijah was one of the most powerful Prophets of the world. Yet even he got discouraged. His work isn't finished yet.
God's promises are what we have to go on. It's the core of our being. It's the center of what gets us moving every day. It's also the very thing that God's enemy attacks with both subtleties and outright hatred.
Heard it once said that we are the sum of our experiences. Sometimes our memories shape our present means of dealing with things. Sometimes it's a good thing sometimes its not.
A lot is said in Scripture about our tongues. Of how they are a two edge sword. They can help or hurt us. A slip of the tongue can be worse than a paper cut.
A word spoken is extremely difficult to take back. There's probably a Proverb on that somewhere.
The key thought that I think that God's making today is to lift your eyes. Look back to Jesus. Don't be so focused on your circumstances. You honestly think that God forgot about you? That He was shocked and amazed by what has befallen you? That a set of circumstances had occurred that could cause Him to abandon you?
Dear reader, please, don't listen to those lies. Don't. Those are the very things that Satan wants you to believe.
Eagerly anticipate what God will do. His promises have never failed in thousands of years.
Faith is acting like something is so even when it is not so in order that it might be so simply because God said so. - Tony Evans.
Our Salvation is always at hand. Our Savior is always at our right arm. He's always listening. Always working.
He is the lover of our souls. He is our provider. He is our rescuer.
Circumstances can blind you to the truth.
Don't let them.
Faith is acting like something is so even when it is not so in order that it might be so simply because God said so.
Peter could do the extraordinary because his eyes were on Christ. Peter floundered when he took his eyes off Jesus. Elijah could do the extraordinary because his eyes were on Christ. Elijah floundered when he took his eyes off Jesus. See the pattern? It's the same throughout the Bible.
Are we so different? No we are not.
Pray. Pour out your heart. Be real with yourself and your Savior. Watch and anticipate His coming to you. It will happen.
No comments:
Post a Comment