SPOKEN

I struggle so often in that wilderness of uncertainty. It is the place where the shadows of doubt darken life and hope.

Being able to trust in the Lord based solely upon a promise of his word is not as confusing in some ways as when you are trusting on some other criteria. You may feel God wants you to do something and even have an affirmation, but in the vagueness it becomes so easy for Satan to ring in one’s thoughts with doubts.

How often when a situation turns to a crisis does it become a time when those recrimination seeds are most prone to take root and blossom. And I have learned the number of times that I thought something was God’s will and it turned out not to be the case that I know I have no perfect ears or mind to never be wrong.

I find it difficult to not let the doubts conquer my faith in such situations. And I really don’t doubt God’s ability to do anything, but I do appreciate he doesn’t always act according to my desires.

For some faith is claiming and trusting God that what you believe will happen. They never make allowance for being human and making mistakes. Those are also sometimes known in scriptures as valleys.

I recall years ago when this one pastor I knew got on the prosperity bandwagon. He began teaching how basically you could name and claim your heart’s desire in this life.

I remember him telling me once how he knew there were valleys in life, but he was convinced it was possible to “control” them. I have no idea if he feels that way now, but I do know that slowly his ministry drifted away from teaching salvation by faith and to a strictly abundant life doctrine.

Not too surprising to me he eventually resigned from the ministry. The last I heard he was a very unhappy and bitter person. I can’t imagine he is thrilled with the abundant life at this point, but one would have to ask him to be sure.

There is a difference between optimism and denial. I’ve known too many people who used confidence as a form of denial. They never paid attention to the facts, they just kept their heads in the clouds and wanted to believe things were going to get better no matter how miserable or terrible they turned out.

Real faith keeps trusting, but is never without honesty or truth. It is to lean upon the Lord even when stumbling occurs. It isn’t to give up on the Lord when the valleys come we don’t deserve. It is to keep walking regardless.

Somewhere there is a song we shall sing. It is a most blessed hymn that comes over our soul and will be a chorus of joy in eternity. Then when the notes minister, silence will replace the sobs of misunderstanding.