Like most Christians, for some time- a long time, I have been discouraged by the evil that is growing and is rampant in this world. From the everyday slight of hand and deception all around to the heinous evil, particularly in the name of “religion” that is in this world. Perhaps it was the blindly ignorant and ungodly attacks that have risen up against a president, my president, that is finally not afraid to do what is right, and stand on God's Word while freely expressing his trust in God that got to me last night.
Today, I have been at the end of my rope to the point of not just discouragement, but broken hearted and angry. My was joy is low, and hope was waining. That state is not my norm, at all. God has not called me to right wrongs, but to focus on His Word and disciple anyone that wants to grow in their relationship with Him. I am good with that, I prefer positive over negative, every time. Be that as it may, I had been becoming weary of the daily deception around me and the evil at large. I decided it was time to stop rehearsing the evil in my mind, and pick up where I last left off in reading through my Bible. I quickly realized I needed to just spend some time in praise and prayer first. In that time, God put something in my heart that arrested all of the despair and heartache, opened my eyes and encouraged me. I received a revelation of His love that I do not believe I can do justice to in expressing with my words. As I stood up and began to walk about and pray God simple said to me,
“And yet Teresa, I love them. I gave them Jesus, just as I gave Him to you. I need you to tell them about My love, and be that light in the darkness.”
I want to tell you the sting of correction paled completely to the warmth, love and peace I received that moment. I was once again humbled by God’s love, not just for me but for all mankind- including the heinously wicked. It is not my job to evaluate the state the world is in. It is my calling to proclaim the love of God, and bring lightness to the darkness. It is not my job to judge the state of unsaved men’s hearts. It is my job to pray they find and receive, Jesus. It is not my job to judge my brothers and sisters in Christ. Their judgement, just like mine was paid in full on the cross. Jesus took all sin and paid for it, and those in the body of Christ are no longer even judged.
As those thoughts, and others like them, and as that love washed over me God brought verses to my mind, and they encouraged me and uplifted my heart. God is good. He is good all the time, and He is always right on time with what we need. These verses were balm where I was broken, and seed to be able to rise up and truly praise Him, and rejoice.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:16-17
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
2 Corinthians 2:14
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4
I have had people on two continents and three states prophesy over me that I would be God’s light in the darkness. Many things have happened in recent years that substantiate that. Today when God put that on my heart it was the best, “Snap out of it!” I have ever heard.
...whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,... 1 Peter 1:8
Joy: chara G5479 "joy, delight" (akin to chairo, "to rejoice") gladness.
This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
