Today it read in part...God's encouragement is the greatest when your valleys are the deepest, His comfort the sweetest when your burdens are the heaviest, His support the strongest when your strength is the weakest and His love the surest when your fears are vastest. I sent it out in my text ministry as I often do when I read something encouraging. There's just something about cool days that make me feel wonderful. I suppose it reminds me of where I grew up in upstate N.Y. since it's overcast there most of the time. My son said a profound quote when he was little that I always think of on overcast days, "Clouds feel like you're under God's blanket". I love that!
I'm also excited because my sister is coming up to see me this weekend. She is going through such a terrible time in her life with her loved ones having severe health problems. She just empties herself of everything into others and often leaves herself with nothing left for her. For some reason we forget that we're no good to others if we aren't taking care of ourselves. That's why Jesus told us to stay attached to the Vine! John 15:1-17, in part says, "I am the true Vine...and you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers...". I see the truth in that every time I garden, and especially in summer. Everything grows like weeds in the summer sun and when I trim stalks I throw them into a trash pile. The plants continue to flourish but the cut stalks wither and die apart from the vine! So many people just hang over their pots everyday when they could be producing blooms and fruit if they would just read their bible and spend time with Jesus each day!
We have a saying in N.Y., "It's more fun to fall on the ice with a friend than to fall alone." I would rather go through life with Jesus than alone! My life right now is going through a valley and most days are like a snow storm but my mind is lush and robust with God's truth and loving promises! That truth and hope are the Vine I cling to when I am having a dark day. We all have dark days but the difference is when you walk with Jesus you know what you stumble over. Without Him you stumble in the darkness but you don't learn from it. I often think of those coal miners in Chili and it's such a perfect example of life. There will be days of darkness but those who had Christ found great meaning in that darkness. Those who refused God's purpose didn't learn from the stumbling and they continue stumbling even after they arose from that dark place.
Jesus said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life!". The light "of life" doesn't mean there won't be dark days, it means that He will always be a shining light in your heart, mind and soul even when darkness is all around you! That's why He says to stay attached to Him! If you're holding His hand in the darkness then you are walking toward the light and that's the only way out.You have two simple choices in life, trust or doubt. It doesn't get any more complicated than that, unless we choose to make it so.
I am in a dark place with certain situations right now but I know that I have a seed of doubt deep in my heart where I thought God would abandon me. He knew that by taking me into this valley of trouble that I would come to face that seed of doubt and I would have to make a choice! Will I ever doubt His love for me again? Just when I would choose trusting Him, He would take me deeper into the forest and as my doubt arose He would ask me again, "Do you think that I will leave you?". Each time I came to trust Him and love Him more and more, but He took me deeper still. I found myself in the darkest part of the forest and when I cried out His name, I heard nothing. I cried and cried out His name, and nothing. It was then that I realized that this was the final lesson in this long dark journey of replacing doubt and lies with truth and light! After months, even years of being in the dark forest I realized that I don't need to hear His voice to know that He is there anymore!
The Living God of the Universe cared so much for me that He would not let me go through this life believing a lie about Him. He would not let me continue to carry all that false disappointment, rage and pity around in my soul, mind, heart and body! I used to shake my fist at Him and say, "I wouldn't do this to my child! Cast them into a lonely darkness and then not guide them with my hand and voice!". Our dark valleys are places of honor that we get to go with Jesus and it's in those valleys that we learn the depth, breadth and height of God's love for us! I've come to realize that the times I matured the most were the times in the darkness with Him and especially the times when He was silent and unseen yet still there! I know the truth now and God has changed my inner voice from one that questioned Him to one that believes Him! The next step is to "praise" Him with a trusting and joyful heart even when all seems forgotten and lost. He will tho, NEVER leave me or forsake me! (Hebrews 13:5). He would love to hear me sing in the dark though, before He lets me sing in the light!
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