My friend sent me an email devotional this week which was entitled ‘Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes’. In it, the writer spoke of our individual need to get sin out of our lives, to remove ourselves from unhealthy relationships and to pick-up healthy practices which grow and not destroy our spirit. It was powerful!
Then it got me thinking about the faithful saints: the ones who have taken diligent steps to maintain a spirit of humility and repentance. They so love the LORD. They examine themselves daily against His Word and what He is speaking to their spirit. And they make changes so that they do not grieve their LORD, so that they do not walk in sin.
They love people, both their friends and those who would consider them enemies. They give generously. They cannot help it because they are made in the image of their Father. They serve God’s house and others faithfully, without complaint or an attitude of religious superiority. They model Christ.
They are the people who often get overlooked. But they don’t mind. They are content to rise every day and do exactly what it is that they feel the LORD has placed upon their hearts. His approval is the only one they seek.
So what happens when the circumstances which try these faithful soldiers goes unchanged?
What is the explanation when they cling to God’s Word, recognizing that certain things only go out by prayer and fasting – and they pray and fast – and nothing changes – or things appear to worsen?
How is it reconciled when the fact that ‘God loves a cheerful giver’ has been so ingrained into their spirit that they give, and give, and give? Yet they face financial reversals – the same reversals as those who refuse to honor God’s principles.
How is it reasoned when the healing does not manifest? When the marriage fails? When the job ends? When the aloneness persists? When the ministry does not increase? When the child ends up on drugs? When the child dies? When the weeping endures longer than a night? And, although the joy comes in the morning, it is within the context of the present reality and in light of the fact that the prayer was not answered exactly the way it was hoped or desired. Where is the comfort?
Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes
If nothing about the circumstance changes, take comfort.
Nothing about the character of God changes.
He is still Omni-potent, the all powerful One who is able to stop anything and everything – but who allows situations and circumstances for reasons which we know not. The situation is not too great for Him to be able to impact it. And perhaps He allows the situations to persist to let each of us know that the matter is not too great to impact us.
He is still Omniscient, the all knowing One who has not let a single detail of what is happening in your life to escape His attention. Nothing has caught Him by surprise. There is not a single instance where He sits in heaven and says to Himself, ‘Wow! I didn’t see that coming.’
He is still Omni-present, the all present One who cannot help but to be present in your circumstance – because He is everywhere. He will never leave you nor forsake you – because He can’t, because He promised.
Nothing changes if nothing changes –
If nothing changes in the circumstances and nothing changes with God, where does the change take place? The change occurs within each one of us. Nothing changes if nothing changes - except us.
If nothing changes and the healing does not manifest –
We change as we realize that we can have a quality life despite the illness.
If nothing changes and the marriage fails –
We change as we learn that there is life after divorce, and not just any life, one of joy, peace and fulfillment.
If nothing changes and the job ends –
We change as we lean upon and trust God for provision in a way that we have never had to do before.
If nothing changes and the aloneness persists –
We change as we rejoice in the presence of God, even if it means that we must live outside of the company of man.
If nothing changes and the ministry is not as impactful as we hoped –
We change as we despise not the day of small beginnings and do all things joyfully unto the LORD.
If nothing changes and the child ends up on drugs –
We change as we trust God to take care of and protect and rescue and redeem that child in a way that we are unable.
If nothing changes and the child dies –
We grieve. And then, eventually, we change as we are transformed into beacons of hope for others. I heard someone say earlier this week, ‘When someone loses a husband, you call her a widow; when someone loses a parent, you call them an orphan; when someone loses a child, you don’t call them anything – because it is so unimaginable, so painful and so grievous that there is not a word to describe it. Yet there is hope and love in Jesus. And as we change, we understand the grace and strength of God to keep us in one of the most horrific circumstances which could occur. You learn this whether you have lost a child or not – for when you love others as yourself, their pain becomes real to you in a way that I cannot explain.
If nothing changes and the weeping endures longer than a night, if nothing changes and the joy that comes in the morning is within the context of the present reality and the fact that the prayer was not answered exactly the way it was hoped or desired –
We change as we keep on believing, trusting and clinging to the unmoving and unchanging hand of God.
Praying that God will bless you abundantly, that He will touch all of the issues of life that touch you, the places that only you and He know about.
With the love and compassion of our LORD Jesus Christ ...
No comments:
Post a Comment