Sometimes God puts us through the experience and discipline of darkness to teach us to hear and obey Him. Song birds are taught to sing in the dark, and God puts us into “the shadow of His hand” until we learn to hear Him (Isaiah 49:2). “Whatever I tell you in the dark. . .”— pay attention when God puts you into darkness, and keep your mouth closed while you are there. Are you in the dark right now in your circumstances, or in your life with God? If so, then remain quiet. If you open your mouth in the dark, you will speak while in the wrong mood— darkness is the time to listen. Don’t talk to other people about it; don’t read books to find out the reason for the darkness; just listen and obey. If you talk to other people, you cannot hear what God is saying. When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else once you are back in the light.

After every time of darkness, we should experience a mixture of delight and humiliation. If there is only delight, I question whether we have really heard God at all. We should experience delight for having heard God speak, but mostly humiliation for having taken so long to hear Him! Then we will exclaim, “How slow I have been to listen and understand what God has been telling me!” And yet God has been saying it for days and even weeks. But once you hear Him, He gives you the gift of humiliation, which brings a softness of heart— a gift that will always cause you to listen to God now.

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February 14, 2011

Journal Entry for Todays-JDV

Lord, just when it seems like we should be able to stop and take a breath; one more emotional riptide overtakes and overpowers us. Just when I thought we could catch our bearings…..another one takes our breath away.  I have been praying for a respite, rescue and time for recovery, but you seem to be very patient right now.

And God says…”Sometimes it is not a single powerful event or trial that makes you stronger; it is the series of seemingly overwhelming and unfair events that help transform you. On and on and on you feel the emotional and spiritual riptides and sense you are almost ready to drown. And then you realize that I am always with you. You know well that I do not always remove the trials. I give you the faith, hope and courage to withstand the trials. And as you emerge from them you have a new sense of awareness of My presence…as you are transformed…a little bit more into the likeness of Christ.”

…..Hebrews 13:5…..Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote, 

   God is there, ready to help; 
   I’m fearless no matter what. 
   Who or what can get to me?