Hello Precious People In Jesus,
I hope the following is clear. It can be hard for me to express exactly how we felt at times when God began His healing work in us. Honestly, my wife can often say things better than I can. ☺
Do you know that God really does have a future and a hope for you?
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.
Psalm 94:19
Disappointments used to really steamroll and frustrate me. It seemed to me that nothing was working out for us. With each disappointment, my reaction to them was growing more intense and negatively affecting my family as well as our relationship with my parents and God.
I was SO thankful when the Lord began showing me how I (and my family) could learn to be less and less impacted by the nonfulfillment of our hopes and expectations. This is one of the biggest lessons God’s taught us – to have His peace in the face of any storm.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Philippians 4:11-12
Things didn’t turn around immediately for us, we didn’t strike oil or find my dream job (at the time, we were told that unemployment in Oregon was nearing 30%), but when we started memorizing and standing on God’s Word, we began to experience a hope we hadn’t had for years. Something tangible was happening in the spiritual realm and we could perceive it.
When you’ve lived so l-o-n-g with no hope and then get even a flicker of it, you begin to get a sense that things may begin to turn around for you.
The Word is so powerful. When we get backed into a corner, we ask God to help us find the way out. The scriptures God had us jot down, and began declaring out loud and memorizing, were the way out for us. With the Word, we were pushing against a lot of darkness (heartache) that had been oppressing us too long. When we found the thing (the Word) that would put momentum on our side, we ran with it. We still do.
We can live with unfulfilled dreams, with unmet goals and expectations. But we now know we can’t live without the Word, without Jesus, without our preeminent Prince Of Peace.
God’s first instruction to us at our low time was to get in the Word and discover what He was saying about our condition. His truth was beginning to overtake the lies of the enemy in our ears. The Prince Of Peace was calming our storm and setting us free from all of the confusion and striving that was killing us.
But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
Pasalm 86:15
It’s a patient and mighty working of the Holy Spirit, that can take time, when He replaces your desires, and your striving with Jesus.
Some trust in chariots (we wanted to trust in money, in anything we thought would bring us predictable security), and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance (God knew we needed to change, to take steps to get closer to Him, to lay our lives at His feet so He could do with them as He wished)?
Romans 2:4
And rend your heart and not your garments .” Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil.
Joel 2:13
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.
Isaiah 30:18
To this day, God continues to liberate us by showing us more and more, “but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (Those without a need or desire for God).
Psalm 84:10
Nothing like Jesus, the Guardian of our hearts, nothing…
God bless,
Mark