Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. LAMENTATIONS 3:22–23
When Thomas Chisholm wrote the words to the song “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” he made a tiny error. The song is based on this scripture. He wrote, “Morning by morning, new mercies I see.” But the point of this passage is that the prophet Jeremiah did not see any new mercies. He didn’t see a thing. He had no visible evidence of God’s mercies at all. Morning by morning brought horror and pain and dread—not new mercies. Jeremiah was not saying, “I trust You because I understand everything that is going on in my life.” He was saying, “I trust You because You are God and You cannot fail. And I know You cannot lie.” There are times when life is not easy, when it is hard to believe in the faithfulness of God. We try to hold on and find out what God is up to, and sometimes He seems to have disappeared. And we listen to the words of the enemy, who tries to pull us away from what we know and cause us to operate on how we feel. God is faithful whether you feel like He is or not, whether you think He is or not, whether you observe His faithfulness or not. God, who cannot lie, is faithful. - Dr. David Jeremiah Morning and Evening
I certainly can be found at times in what I'd call the "feel like it or not" category in life. Perhaps you too. Feelings at times can't be trusted. You need to do something that really cannot be put off any longer an yet your feelings prevent you from following through.
There are days when I fully get what Dr. Jeremiah is saying here. It's hard when you start thinking that the silence is so overwhelming that it scares you. That you wonder, erroneously, just where did God go?
It's a matter of faith being strengthened, of trust being established, when we are in rough conditions in life.
Where is your walk with God? Seems like you have been in rough waters for a long time. The truth is this too shall pass. As Mark Lowry said in regards to a song of his, the passage he referred to from Scripture was "and it came to pass". His next words are really profound. He followed that Scripture with saying "it didn't come to stay". It came to pass, no matter what we are struggling through in life it isn't a sentence. It lasts for the duration that Jesus requires then He moves the storm or the circumstances.
His mercy never fails, it's what keeps any storms or circumstances from completely overtaking you or I.
As I was told to say yesterday, no you won't understand the why's of your life.
Oh how we crave that bit of knowledge!
We cannot possibly fathom the depths of the truth of our circumstances. We have been living, since the 50's and 60's in what's termed the 'microwave society'. We want everything 5 minutes ago. We want answers instantly, just look at the hard evidence of the popularity of search engines. We want to know what has been unknowable right now. Strictly speaking that flies in the face of faith. Faith is the assurance of things not seen. Faith requires us not to know and yet to act in such a way that we trust Jesus in everything He said in order to move forward. I am reminded of that scene in the Indiana Jones movie where all he had was a sketch of a person stepping out where it made no earthly sense to do so.
Many times we overlook the mercy of God. Life can be oh so much harder than it is or appears to be. We can never see the big picture. We indeed may be sorrowful right now, but our condition is what God may use to draw someone to Christ. Someone may see something in us because of what God allows that is the key to their heart. That, without your discomfort, would never have been possible.
Hate to break it to everyone but we are not at all promised health, wealth or prosperity. Give up on that. As Christians we are called to go and make Disciples of all nations. We are told up front that the life conditions we will experience will contain tribulations and temptations. That this world will oppose what we represent. That regardless of what our eyes see, of what our hearts feel, of what all of life looks like...trust and obey.
Are you despondent towards God because of what He has allowed in your life? Angry even? Are you going to try to sit and sulk rather than to let go, ask forgiveness, get up and get back in the game?
We all have that choice. As believers it's our greatest challenge. Obey self or obey God. Those who are not in saved have no choice but to live for self. They can try to live good lives, but the reality is that if that at all could save someone, then all that Christ endured was pointless.
People don't enjoy suffering. Anyone who really does I can easily say has either embraced their sin nature in the worst way or is demon possessed. Christians don't enjoy the idea of suffering if it is on account of something they did wrong. They are to count it all joy if what they did that resulted in suffering has to do with someone coming to Christ.
God's mercy keeps whatever is happening from behind as bad as it could be. Realize well that by every right as Creator God, He DOES have the right to enter into summary judgment against all who are not saved. He has that right but because of His love for mankind is offering mercy and grace to all to provide the opportunity for them to be saved.
Be thankful for God's mercy today. Regardless of what life looks like my friend you ARE experiencing His mercy.
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