What awaits you in that distant darkness ahead?
© laszlolorik – Fotolia.com
I recently changed (day) jobs and the transition has not been as smooth as I anticipated. This is causing me stress that is sapping my energy and joy, which affects my family life.
My wife encouraged me last night to listen to the advice I gave her a couple months ago when she changed careers. This was: to let go of the past and all my mistakes, to focus on today, and to do so trusting in the Lord for the results (the future). This is good advice that gave me instant peace, because it is true.
This morning she pointed me to a couple Bible verses that say exactly what she reminded me of.
Mat 6:33-34 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NIV1984)
This is actually a memory verse of mine, one of the first verses I clung to over 15 years ago, and for good reason. It is a common struggle of mine, and probably many others. It is difficult to let go of our need for food, shelter, and clothes, for provision and protection. As a man, I feel obligated to maintain a good job so that I can provide for and protect my family. Going through a rocky transition always creates fear over what will happen tomorrow, whether I will be able to pay the bills and keep us in a home. It is an act of faith to trust God with the results of my decisions and actions.
In seeking God, I am not lazy but hard working. I am not rebellious but a good servant who listens to instructions and attends to the needs of management and customers. I am not wasteful but a good steward of resources. I am not disrespectful but polite to everyone, even when I am upset or offended. (All of these come from a heart guided by Matt 5:3-10, not a legalistic list of do’s and don’ts.)
And when I fail in these or other areas, this is still true: I am not perfect but a work in progress, and God is my judge not the critics (including my inner voices) who intentionally or unintentionally bring me down.
Here is another verse she pointed me to, one I was not familiar with.
Deu 29:29 The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions. (LASB:NLT Bible)
We are only accountable for what we know, this I knew. But the future is an unknown, which means it is in God’s hands, and this I never thought of! Is this not encouraging? It still takes great faith to move forward today without knowing what will happen tomorrow, especially when so much of my past screams out my potential to fail. But I want to be a man of faith, so I must take this challenge head on and press forward into the future, in faith, seeking God’s kingdom first and trusting that my decisions are in his hands.
One more verse that many are probably familiar with.
Psa 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. (HCSB St)
It was pointed out to me that a lamp only provides light for a few footsteps ahead of you in the dark, but you cannot see the distance ahead of you where you are going. That distant darkness that you cannot see, that is what you trust to the Lord, whether it is good or bad, favor or correction, life or death, prosperity or poverty. I can trust in God for that darkness because I know the end of that darkness is being in heaven, in the glorious presence of my God.
Blessings! – Shamar Covenant
I love that you and your wife seek the Word for wisdom. I commented on facebook, but wanted to add to your discussion here.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
The spoken and written word of God is a vessel that holds light so that you may see the way in which you should walk and it is also a light (of revelation) from the places you have traveled. Paths are worn areas we or others have taken before and learned lessons from God and the Word will continue to light your way as you use the revelation He gives to you.
It’s like the parable of the talents. God gives us what He knows we can be accountable for but we must be wise and use the wisdom we have been given in our walk with Him or that which we have been given will be taken away. It takes courage, faith, and love to move forward.
Think about what you learned when you asked your wife to marry you. How did you determine she was the one? Did you seek the Father? Did He answer? Did it seem scary at first, or challenging? As you walked with her did you learn about what pleases her and what does not? Did you adapt because of the love Christ has shown you and love her as he did? These are the same things you will learn in your walk with Him. In the words of I Cor 13: 4 Love (God) is patient, love(God) is kind and is not jealous; love(God) does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; (God) does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 [a]bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love (God )never fails;
He will not fail you. Keep getting up for the righteous man rises 7 times…that means until he is perfected. So keep going and run the race. The cloud of witnesses are cheering us on to a higher calling. We are not competing in the world’s race but running toward a loving Father; one who waits for the prodigal, sows seed on all types of ground regardless of whether it will grow and who is ready to give compassion. Remember, you are blessed. He holds you in His Hand and covers you with His wings.
Rejoice…sing (whether you think you can or not) and He will inhabit your praises and the enemy will have no foothold and thereby build no stronghold.