An excerpt from my journal, God speaking...
My forgiveness is deep and complete. No strings attached. You can come right back into fellowship with Me as soon as you call out to Me. You have confessed your sin, you don't have to wallow in the guilt of it as your punishment. I forgive you! Come back to fellowship with Me. Constant fellowship with Me, you abiding in Me and I in you is the only thing that will vanquish this life-long foe. You have proven again and again that your will-power is no match for this particular struggle. It breaks My heart to see you, My precious child, run out without Me to face your foes on your own. Every time, you don't invite Me to the battle, I watch your defeat in anguish. Yes, I could shelter you from all of it. I could fight your battles for you. Instead, I restrain Myself in the hope that one day, when a battle arises, instead of running from My shelter to face the enemy alone, you will reach out and grasp My hand. Then together, and through My undefeatable, undepleteable strength, the foe will be vanquished. The more battles you fight with Me as your defense and shield, the less frequent these attacks will be. You will learn to trust Me. The more you trust Me, the stronger our relationship will become. I have SO MUCH love for you, you can not even comprehend it. So many unique plans that no one else can fulfill in the unique way in which I have created, called, and equipped you. Like the battles, you cannot fulfill My plans for you in your own strength. My beloved, don't you see? When you gave your heart to Me, when you responded to My call, we became eternally inseparable. I will never abandon you, never exhaust My love for you, never humiliate you or lie to you. Walk with Me. Invite Me into your day. I know you feel like it is a risk to let go of what you hold onto to trust Me, but I promise, I am worth it. From this side of the choice, you will see there was no risk at all, and only more of My presence to gain. I so long for you to be intimate with Me. That intimacy will only come as you TRUST ME. I will be faithful to draw you unto Myself...
Some of the threads of this woven conversation are:
"Trust Me one day at a time. This keeps you close to Me, responsive to My will. Trust is not a natural response, especially for those who have been deeply wounded. My Spirit within you is your resident Tutor, helping you in the supernatural endeavor, Yield to His gentle touch; be sensitive to His prompting.
Exert your will to trust Me in all circumstances. Don't let your need to understand distract you from My Presence. I will equip you to get through this day victoriously, as you live in deep dependence on Me. Tomorrow is busy worrying about itself; don't get tangled up in its worry-webs. Trust Me one day at a time." - - Psalm 84:12; Matthew 6:34
- Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.
"It is really God's love for man which restrains Him from removing evil from our world by a display of His power. God's plan is to remove evil by a display of His love--the love that He demonstrated at Calvary.
It is in God's love that we find the key to the ultimate solution of the problem of suffering. The answer to the age-old question of suffering rests in an understanding and appreciation of the character of God.
This is what Job discovered. At the height of his suffering and questioning, God revealed Himself in various aspects of His character to Job....Because God knows and understands all things, He can be trusted to do what is best.
There will always be secrets and motives of God which lie beyond the grasp of man. God is infinite; man is finite. Our knowledge and understanding are limited. But based upon what we do know about God's character, demonstrated supremely in the Cross, we can trust that God is doing what is best for our lives..."
- Unto the Hills, by Billy Graham
Music by Allison Speer and Bill and Gloria Gaither...
And this Hymn:
How firm a foundation ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word;
What more can he say than to you he hath said?
You, who unto Jesus, for refuge have fled.
“Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed!
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace all-sufficient shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design,
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
“E'en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sov'reign eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when grey hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.
“The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes:
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never - no, never, no, never forsake!”
