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When Darkness Lingers.....

by Shannon Heiden  
3/01/2009 / Devotionals


We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Beautiful One, when was the last time you took a deep breath and realized that no matter what your life looks like today, it is only temporary and where you are at right now, is not where you will end up?

Hard times, they seem to fall on anyone of us without a moments notice. Here you are skipping through the tulips, then bam, out of nowhere comes a conversation, a phone call, a letter, an email or a pink slip. Yesterday you were victorious, today you are broken. Yesterday, you were praising, today you are sobbing.

What happened?

Did you do something wrong? Did you treat someone badly and felt good about it? Did you commit a sin that has now come back to bite you? Maybe you haven't kept up on your prayer life or haven't felt much like digging deep into the Word. Maybe, your tired, and maybe your not.

Does it really make a difference why the hard times have come knocking upon your door? I suppose in a general sense, it does all of us good to analyze and assess any involvement on our part. But may I suggest, that we live in a world where life, even as beautiful as we know it to be, can also be filled with those times when it leaves us scratching our heads and wondering why? how? and what if?

How come this has happened, why did this happen and what if it happens again? These are all ponderings that come when we are well acquainted with hard times. I am not speaking of your occasional off day, where you're kind of tired and don't feel your usual.

I am speaking of night seasons, where the breaking of dawn doesn't happen for months or even a year, maybe longer.

The truth remains that if you keep living, somehwere along your way, you will encounter hard times. Your faith is shaken during these times, you begin to find out what you really believe or don't.

When hard times fall on Christians, the very fact that we are Christians can work against us if we allow it to. Let me explain.

When we come to God, we come into the understanding through the knowlegde of his Word that we have power and abilities in Christ. We have our Christian circles, bible classes, prayer meetings and all those amazing conferences.

But sometimes when hard times come lurking upon us and if they stay for extended periods of time, sometimes a simple prayer doesn't help all that much, our friends who aren't even close to understanding our pain can't offer much help either, even though they want to.
We are misunderstood in hard times, we're moody and hard to be around, in fact, we aren't as positive and outgoing because even though we are with people we love and doing good things, deep inside our hearts are breaking and we alone feel the pressure and have an understanding that daylight may not break forth anytime soon.

How being a Christian can work against us is that we start to withdraw because we are misunderstood and we begin to think that no one cares. And if we are not careful, we can also believe that our Father doesn't either. In reality none of this is true, but when hard times fall, when darkness lingers, we begin to look for the light anywhere we can find it and when it shines dimly, our hope wains and we grow weary and we can't discern the voices anymore.

Beautiful One, you need to know that you are not alone. God has not left you, He never will. He is right beside you, and better yet, within you. You will come out of this season, We will never know all the reasons we endure these dark seasons but we do know this, what is impossible with man, shall be possible with God and He is not a man that He should lie. God has his eye on you at all times in every situation, the very hairs on your head are numbered, now if He has taken the time to know your head count, than do you really think that He will leave you this way?

Sometimes when our friends, family members, co-workers and confidants don't know how to help us, we need to remember that we have a Great High Priest who does. Sometimes we need to learn to seek the voice from the Throne, not the phone!

.There is nothing wrong with leaning on friends and family, God places people in our life, but we need to remember that these people are just additives to the recipe, God is the main course!

Hard times come and go, just listen to the Apostle Paul;
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:12)

We need to put on the spectacles of heaven and assess where we are. When hard times fall, when darkness lingers, we need to view it as an opportunity for our mighty God to show off His power, his strength, his abundant love for his child.

Christ hung on an old rugged cross, despising it's shame. Christ endured listening to His creation jeering and mocking him, taunting him to come down from that cross, if he really was who He said He was. Maybe you've been told, if you were really a strong person how could you let this happen to you?... if you knew the Lord like you say you do, then why did this happen? what have you done and maybe you should just repent.

Maybe you have heard the jeers of well meaning people who have no idea what your going through, forgive them, for they truly don't know what they are talking about,

But your Father does. He knows every detail of every minute of your life and Beautiful One, He has your answer, He will deliver you, He will help you and He does love you.

Remember that it took more power for Christ to stay on that cross than it would have if He'd come down from it,

..... when darkness lingered.

Beautiful One, just believe. Light is coming, day is dawning and darkness has to flee.......

Shannon Heiden
[email protected]
changingonelifereachingmany.typepad.com

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