When I woke up this morning, the clock was blinking at 4:40 am. It didn’t make sense because the sun was shining through my bedroom window. Confused, I grabbed my phone and realized the clock was off by several hours. At some time during the night, a transformer blew in our area, and the power went out.
We didn’t know anything had happened until we woke in the morning. While sleeping, we were oblivious to anything that was going on.
Although nothing dramatic came from it, this truth leapt in my heart: God’s power never goes out!
Whether we are lying down at night or walking throughout our day, are we ever truly cognizant of how many times God’s power has kept us, protected us, preceded before us, and provided for us?
How many seen and unseen things could have happened but were halted? How many schemes were made to cease? Dangers averted? Plans revealed?
While our clocks can be blinking the wrong time, God is always on the clock and always on time. The Bible assures us that He never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:4). There is never a moment when He is unaware of anything, and with that, we can rest assured that His power is always engaged.
Oh, what confidence we find in this truth! In our times of frailty and lapse, God is completely steady. When we are unconscious of our ways, He is very intentional. When we are asleep, He is vigilant.
And let’s be sure that I am not merely referring to our physical awareness and sleep. God is God at all times. He can never change who He is. His power is as infinite as He is. It cannot be stopped or muted. And it most certainly can never go out.
Dear one, rest your heart and still your mind in the confidence of that truth. When we don’t have it all together, God does. There is nothing that can happen in this world or in our lives that shakes, rattles, or dismisses the power of God! Therefore, in Him, we can trust.
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” Jeremiah 17:7
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Psalm 28:7
“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” Psalm 9:10
“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8
“That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 2:5
Thank You for my just lot,
not too much, not too little.
What’s perfect for me
right down the middle.
Content my heart
with my daily bread
that I be not overcome
by wanting or dread.
Too much in excess,
a heart lifts without Thee.
Too little and desperate,
sins against Divinity.
But You are the provider
of all my care.
My just lot from You,
there is no err.
Tailor-made for me
and my time in this land,
according to Your love
and master plan.
“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” Proverbs 30:8,9
“The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.” Psalm 145:15
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6
“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Luke 12:15
“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” Ecclesiastes 5:10
“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11
“Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.” Proverbs 28:6
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” Habakkuk 3:17-19
Years ago, I bought one of those at-home exercise kits that included resistance bands. Those bands acted in place of weights and provided tension for the exercises I was doing so that I could get the most out of each movement.
Outside of exercising, those words “weight” and “tension” don’t seem very beneficial to us. In fact, they are words that are synonymous with unpleasant things such as stress, worry, and anxiety. And when they show up, they make life even more difficult instead of being helpful.
Troubles, unfortunately, are a part of our human existence. But the stress they bring do not impact or erase who God is in our lives.
While the Bible is chock-full of encouragement in dealing with difficulties, telling us to “cast our cares” (1 Peter 5:7), and not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34), it also tells us the reason we can have confidence in the midst of life’s storms, and that reason, my friend, is God.
Stress, and what the Bible calls the “cares of this world” (Mark 4:19), try to choke out the word of truth of who God is in our lives. But David, opening in Psalm 16:1, pointed to God as the source of his trust, saying, “Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.”
Whatever and whomever have gained our hearts to become our “source” in life, they will be the foundation we stand upon and turn to every single time. But here’s the kicker that some get wrong: any foundation outside of God is fallible and it will fail and fall eventually. This is especially true when it is exposed to undue stress and tension.
Think of a rubber band that has been stretched too far, a bridge that snapped because of tension, or any number of things that could not endure the weight or the stretch that was being demanded from it, and it gave way under pressure.
Then, we have God. Infinitely wonderful, from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 90:2), who cannot be stretched beyond comfort, who is not looking for a backup plan for your life and mine, who knows all things perfectly and does all things well. He is the one Proverbs tells us to, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). And that is because He is the only one who is in the position to uphold us and every one of His promises, to see us completely through, never forsaking us, without fail.
So, David says He is the one I put my trust in.
David knew enough about God to know that no matter what stresses or troubles he was facing, they could never overwhelm Him, conquer Him, discourage Him, or trip Him up.
Friends, we can have that same confidence today when we realize beyond a shadow of doubt who our God is, and we take what David knew about God and apply it to our lives.
Firstly, He is our Heavenly Father (Matthew 6:9). Although Jesse was David’s biological father, in his relationship with God, David saw Him as his heavenly Father. God made a covenant with David, one that included this beautiful title for him and his descendants that came after him (2 Samuel 7:14), where they would proclaim, “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation” (Psalm 89:26). That relationship is available to us today through our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:4-7).
“The Bible tells us, ‘You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world,’ (1 John 4:4). As we are going about life we are to know in whom we belong. ‘You are of God!’ the Word tells us. Therefore, because of our holy lineage, because of how we are wired through the blood of Jesus Christ, you and I are to instinctively operate like the ‘greater’ is in you.” (Instinctively His!)
Aside from that, David, during his life span, notes that, as opposed to the ways and sources of the wicked, God is faithful, saying, “Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds” (Psalm 36:5).
Previously, I shared these words with you: “Circumstances, unsettling things, and unknown situations will periodically appear in our lives. And while that is true, we must remember that our God is not a ‘periodical’ God. He doesn’t just show up in times of happenstance. He doesn’t make His rounds to see who or what He wants to attend to and deal with at that moment.
No. But He is forever faithful. Never let what you’re dealing with shatter that wonderful truth: GOD IS FOREVER FAITHFUL!” (No Matter What It Looks Like, God is Faithful). David knew it to be true, and so can you!
In his battle against Goliath, Daivd knew God to be the power and strength he leaned upon which would never fail, saying, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (1 Samuel 17:45).
What David knew was that God would not and could not shrink in power before any force. He would always win: “God’s track record doesn’t have marks on it to say that He wasn’t able to accomplish this task or that. As a matter of fact, the Bible states that He is, ‘able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,’ (Ephesians 3:20).”
My friend, when you go with God you will never lose, regardless of what the circumstances look like right now.
Lastly, what David also knew was the personal love of God. He, as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22), knew what it felt like to be loved by God from His heart. To the point of proclaiming His “lovingkindness is better than life” (Psalm 63:3). “While human love can and will be fickle, God said, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you,’ (Jeremiah 31:3, NKJV).”
What David knew, was God’s greatness cannot be condensed to a small list of adjectives that try to describe everything He is and wants to be in our lives. He is just so much more.
And as that, He more than qualifies to be our trust even during the most difficult of days.
Nobody promised us this road would be without bumps and turns that we don’t like. But as long as we are traveling through this life with God as our source, we will never be without everything that He is.
While weights are good for physical exercise and endurance; other types of weights can hinder our growth and our Christian journey, and we are encouraged to lay them aside (Hebrews 12:1). The best way to do that is to trust in God as David did. And when we do, we will find in Him everything we need, and so much more, getting the most out of our Christian journey.
My life lately has been like a roller coaster. There have been many changes going on. Some, quite dramatic. Some, quite honestly, I didn’t feel ready for, and yet, here I am.
Some days, I feel strong and confident. Other days, not so much.
Each day is taken on a literal day-by-day basis. It is, whatever it is going to be.
With that, the day may have tears. Or, it may come with much rejoicing in the heart. But no matter what is on the menu of the day, I have had to make a conscious effort to take a step back and trust God in this (and not just talk about it).
“A lot of times we face difficulties and challenges in life, things that stretch us way out of where we are used to being. Then, we are asked to trust God; to just step out and depend on Him as our unfailing equipment…”
Because changes bring with them many unknowns, and it’s those unknowns that become unnerving for us. But what I, and we, need to remember is just because something is unknown to us, it doesn’t mean it’s unknown to God. In fact, the whole world, history, and all the people in it are an open book before Him.
The journey that we are afraid to take. The move we are hesitant to make, God already knows the ending of each. He is never caught off guard or surprised by the outcome, even if we are.
So, it’s okay if we don’t have all the answers. It’s alright if we feel as if our hand is slipping off the steering wheel of life, because our confidence is not in us. We know all too well the frailty and failure of the flesh.
He is the same God who was there with us as we went through all the other stories of our lives, and He is the same God who knows the chapter we are currently in.
Even better, He is the same God who knows the conclusion as well.
So yes, there may be challenges that make us feel uncomfortable. Things that make us feel like life is spinning out of control. But the things that unnerve us, things we feel we can’t handle, God can.
He is our strength, peace, and hope. God is where we can rest our hearts and minds, even when everything else feels like it’s coming undone. And it’s a good thing to be reminded of that!
Blessings~
Remember this: the great King David became so distressed and discouraged at one point in his life, and the Bible says, “David encouraged himself in the LORD his God” (1 Samuel 30:6).
How can you find encouragement in God during the challenging times?
For me, reading the Word and being reminded of His promises helps to ground me. Also, writing this devotional helps to lift some of what I am feeling off my heart and put it on paper (and yes, my preferred writing method is still pen to paper before it hits the screen).
Find what helps you to shift your focus from your problems to God.
Prayer:
Father God, as this day opens before us, You see what each heart is dealing with. You know better than anyone the places these challenges hit us hardest. As we navigate our circumstances, help us remember that whatever feels out of control for us is never out of control for You. Help us to rest and trust in Your sovereign hand at work in our lives.
Are you ready to reach for more? This NEW devotional reflects on the Prayer of Jabez and how God stretches us beyond our comfort zone to bring enlargement.
“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” 1 Chronicles 4:10
As I get older, I’ll be honest—my body doesn’t move the way it used to. Certain joints will let me know very quickly if I move the wrong way, sleep in the wrong position, or do anything that makes them uncomfortable.
Because of that, I’ve been looking for simple ways to incorporate more movement into my life. Along the way, I’ve added small, purposeful exercises—when I remember—that help decrease pain and increase mobility. One of the simplest has been stretching.
Not stretching just for the sake of stretching, or yoga, or anything like that—but intentional movements that target muscles I rarely pay attention to unless they start hurting.
Stretching can feel uncomfortable at first. But once you begin, you quickly realize how good it feels—especially when you move beyond limits you thought you had.
In much the same way, God calls some of us to stretch beyond our familiar range of motion. To move past what we’re used to. To believe beyond what we currently see.
But that kind of stretching requires faith.
To activate faith, we must allow God to do what He does—and trust how He chooses to do it. For some of us, that is an uncomfortable concept.
We pray the prayer of Jabez and ask God to enlarge our territory, but then cry out when He starts stretching us beyond our comfort zone. Yet there is no enlargement without stretching.
If we truly want expanded territory, we must be willing to stretch in faith beyond the here and now.
Do you want enlarged territories?
Do you feel God stretching you?
Don’t fight it. Trust that this stretching is working together for your good, just as God promises in Romans 8:28.
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9a
“I am my own worst critic.” How many of us have made that declaration?
And yet, it can be so true. We begin an endeavor with a certain picture in our minds of how it should work, but when it doesn’t, we think we have failed. We feel like we haven’t done that good a job.
Recently, I struggled with this feeling when delivering a sermon. And before I could get into a total pity-party about it, I felt what I believe to be a nudging from the Holy Spirit, reminding me, it’s not about me. What if the way I delivered that sermon was the exact way someone who was struggling needed to hear the message? What if, where I felt weak, was the place God wanted to use during that moment?
People really do not like to talk about personal weaknesses.
Why? Simply put, because it makes them feel imperfect. As if there is some sort of lack or deficiency.
Society celebrates strength. The world celebrates strength. History celebrates strength.
Look around our world, and you won’t have to go far to see signs of strength and ingenuity everywhere. Actually, I am more impressed by the works of our forefathers than some of the modern-day advances. They, because they started, engineered, and built societies, systems, and marvels without the history, know-how, and help of the things we heavily rely on today.
They were the pioneers of inventions that set the course for many others to follow. Yet, with them and the advances of today, geniuses, strongmen, and influencers, what many don’t recognize is that there is still a lack. The imperfect cannot dole out the perfect.
And while we appreciate their efforts and work done, if they become a source of fixation for us, as if they are a measuring rod of success, know that they are a fallible source to compare and lean upon.
So, what do we do when we need that true measuring rod? Where do we lean in the hard times? When we can’t figure out the next step, who shows us the way? When we feel like we are at the end of our rope, with no more strength to continue, then where do we turn? Where does our help come from?
The psalmist very plainly reminds us, “My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth,” (Psalm 121:2). A truth the apostle Paul had come to know when God spoke to him in his time of hardship, saying, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness,” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
For all of his advances, works, missionary journeys, and more, that great apostle had come to know that he could never lean on his own strength, human intellect, and inventiveness. In fact, he had matured significantly in his faith. As he plainly stated in Philippians 3:8, the worthlessness of all his successes was overshadowed by the “excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.”
And when it came to the testimony of being “caught up to the third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:2), an experience that could well make one want to vaunt himself, he suffered a “thorn in the flesh” moment (2 Cor. 12:7) where only leaning upon God’s grace and strength could see him through.
We can easily become fixated on the great stories and accomplishments of others, and we tend to view their experiences through rose-colored glasses. Yet, what the apostle Paul’s experience teaches us, along with many others, is that they are still just humans like us. Although their stories may astound us at times (and rightfully so), for them to see the end God intended for them, they still had to rely, not on their performance or know-how, but on His grace and strength in those moments.
It is not only okay to work in the gifts, callings, and strengths God has blessed each of us with – it is expected. But know, at the end of the day, it is never about us. Even with the most promising feats of ingenuity, if God and His purposes are not at the center of our resourcefulness and strength to carry it through, then we are drawing from a well that will soon run dry.
But when we lean into Him, and recognize that His “strength is made perfect in weakness,” – even what appears to be failing can turn into a fantastic end of our story when it is God we lean upon and not ourselves or others.
Whenever you feel weak, my friend, consider this: this may be the perfect thing that God wants to use at the moment. Let your weakness rest in God’s perfect strength and do as Proverbs instructs: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding,” (3:5).
“Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9b-10
With negativity coming at us from all corners, it can sometimes become difficult to view our world, life, and circumstances through the lens of anything different. However, one of the blessings God has endowed humanity with is the ability to choose. We can choose what we invest our thinking energy into. We can choose what lens we will view our right now time and our future time through.
This idea of choosing a lens isn’t just theoretical—it became real for me during a trip. On a vacation, we had the opportunity to fly in a helicopter. The only problem with that is that I am not too fond of heights. To enjoy the experience (and it is something I wanted to do because I am trying to stretch myself in certain areas) and not to show how unnerved I was, while flying hundreds of feet above the ground, I chose to pick up my camera and view most of my experience through that lens. It made the flight more enjoyable. There were some moments of bravery when I lowered the lens, but when I felt uncomfortable with the heights, I would simply raise it again, choosing to view my experience in this manner.
Friends, as we are going through life, we are not blind to the real pain we and others may experience or those things that unnerve us or uncomfortable circumstances. The Bible tells us that in life there will be many different seasons we may face: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven… a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4).
Regardless of the season, God gave us the power of choice, and we get to choose how we will take in what we see and experience. We get to choose how we deal with what is before us. We get to choose what we believe about what we see.
If one is always viewing adversity through the lens of self-pity and the like, then everything attached will bear the fruit of self-pity. The choice is ours. Or, we can flip our way of thinking like David did to correct his mindset amid adversity, saying, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God” (Psalm 43:5).
How we view what we are going through and dealing with will be determined by how we choose to view it. Proverbs encourage us to, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (4:23). Therefore, we get to choose to be pessimistic about everything or optimistic.
Some things we face may be hurtful, but thank God, that’s not the end of our story. For the believer, our story is written in Jesus, in whom is our overcoming victory (John 16:33; 1 John 5:4), and in the story of His Word is where we find our strength. And that’s where we must lean, trust, focus, and anchor our hope.
Are you having trouble redirecting your thoughts? Consider adding the reading of these verses daily to your routine:
Philippians 4:6-9 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
Romans 8:24-25, 28 “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Psalm 31:24 “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.”
What lens are you choosing to view your circumstances through today?
Lord, help us to keep our eyes on You and trust in the authority and promises of Your holy Word which grounds us in the right perspective for our lives no matter what we may face.
Be determined. Determined to not be thwarted. Determined not to leave with one’s soul unsatisfied. Determined to forge ahead in resilience, refusing to go into this day without this sacred meeting.
Fight if you must and move intently ahead. Let nothing come in between or interfere with this time of sweet communion with the Lord. Thoughts may encroach and seek to pounce like an animal in waiting for prey, but keep thine eyes fixed on the things above (Colossians 3:2), trusting in the One who is the lover of your soul and life.
It is no simple thing, this gift of prayer, nor is it a pleasure to be taken for granted that we can approach the Lord with our honest and sincerest petitions. Getting there is a great privilege not to be neglected, so fight if you must to enter this holy conversation with the Lord.
For He, your Heavenly Father, is the main goal of your life. He is the compass and direction by which all our days are to be guided. Turbulent times, left unchecked will try to pull you off course, so fight if you must to get into the solace of this blessed sanctuary of prayer, for He has the wheel and knows the route to take.
Many distractions will attempt to interrupt and capture your mind for their audience. But when I come on my knees, with my heart opened to my King, it is His attending audience that means everything. Fight if you must to enter near this throne of grace, a guarded court surrounded by the angels who do sing.
What treasure lies within that holy realm of prayer. Go, search, and dig, and fight if you must to get there. For He will be a little sanctuary for you (Ezekiel 11:16), the true refuge and blessing of life who sees, hears, and knows everything you can unearth before Him in that divine assembly.
Fight if you must, and be persistently determined. Refuge, hope, power, and relief from life’s burdens lie ahead. Do yourself a favor, deprive not your soul of this great pleasure of meeting with the Father daily.
“And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 2 Samuel 5:24, NKJV
Have you ever seen one of those action movies where the characters involved in a grand scheme or plan must synchronize their watches to ensure everyone is moving at the right time?
When a big feat is to take place, it is good to make sure everyone is on the same page and moving at the proper time.
That’s what proper planning does. It views the many angles of the story, not just the present or temporary moments, but all the moments included, and it determines when the best time is to do A, B, or C.
On the opposite end of this spectrum is impulsiveness. It doesn’t always take every matter into account and consider all the possibilities. It tends to move forward hastily, and sometimes prematurely.
Sometimes it is hard to determine the difference between impulsiveness, instincts, and zeal, but there is a difference.
When David finally became king, not just recognized as king in Hebron, but over all Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-3), there were still yet contentions he faced, including their long-time enemy, the Philistines.
If you will remember, David had great success as a youth in slaying their most prominent warrior, Goliath (1 Samuel 17). But during the time between that battle and the one facing the Philistines here in 2 Samuel 5, David experienced many other inner and outer battles along the way.
In that, he grew not only in stature but in ability. Through his fearlessness, faith, and fervor, he became a much-feared warrior and king.
But David didn’t allow his previous accomplishments to cause him to rest on his laurels.
There were still battles to fight and enemies to conquer, so David pursued and engaged – but not without God’s guidance.
He could have chalked up his previous victories as the all-encompassing plan to win all his battles, but he didn’t.
And that’s a good thing because, with each battle he faced God gave him different directions on how to gain a successful ending.
Here in chapter 5, in one battle David was instructed to “go up” (v. 19), and in the other, he was told to “circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines” (Vv. 23, 24, NKJV; emphasis added).
This was going to be the battle of battles with the Philistines. After this event, they would no longer be a threat to Israel. But to get there, David had to wait for the right time.
Back to our opening illustration of synchronization, time is everything. But the caveat to that is, that the way we view time and the way God views time is vastly different (2 Peter 3:8).
Twice in verse 24, you see the word “then,” with God giving specific instructions on when David is to make his move. Any time outside the premise of that “then,” was not his moment to advance.
If David wanted to ensure success, he had to synchronize his move with God’s “then,” with God’s timing.
While zeal, fervor, and experience are great, if it’s out of alignment with God’s moment to progress, it won’t work.
Our God works specifically and in order. And more often than not, His design will not be on our timetable.
As infinite as He is, so are His plans and abilities, and through it all, taking the omniscient view of our lives, He knows when, where, and how something should be done.
But it is when we fight with impatience and frustration, when we can’t see it moving or how it will turn out, we find ourselves in precarious situations or wanting to give up altogether.
We don’t want “then,” we want now!
Instant victory. Instant gratification. And instant applause and promotion.
But when we pause at the “then” moments, we are simultaneously taking that occasion to learn how God is leading and giving Him room to work.
Listen for the sound of God’s moving.
This was David’s experience. Not until he heard the marching in the tops of the mulberry trees was it safe for him to proceed regardless of his personal abilities or how he previously won battles.
My friend, God has a specific plan for you. One drawn up and orchestrated out of His divine love. Do not rush ahead of God. He has an appointed time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1; Habakkuk 2:3).
Learning to wait for your “then” moments requires trust which is why Proverbs famously reminds us to “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5,6).
We will never have the full understanding God does for our lives (Isaiah 55:8,9), but what we can have is our trust and belief that He is perfect, His ways are perfect, and God knows what He is doing.
I don’t know what marching in the tops of mulberry trees audibly sounds like, but I do know what it sounds like in our lives of faith: waiting.
Waiting, patience, and being still when everything says go is hard. But if that going is not marked by God’s stamp of approval, it will all be for nothing.
And if you are longing for me to give you specifics or signs or systems to find out how to know when your “then” moment is, I can’t.
Our Heavenly Father has a perfect timeline for everyone’s life, and He only can tell you when it’s your time to advance.
In the meantime, you may have to do one of the hardest things – continue to wait, continue to have patience, and continue to be still.
In these moments of not going, let them be filled with the activity of seeking God, seeking His face and His perfect will for your life. Let them be filled with drawing ever nearer to His presence and learning to recognize and become more familiar with His moving in your own life.
Then, when you figuratively hear the marching in the tops of the mulberry trees (or by whatever means that you beyond a shadow of a doubt know it’s God’s prompting and leading you), you will know that your time has come, and you can advance forward successfully.
That second “then” assured David that by following God’s way, He was the one going before him. And whatever we are doing, above all else, this is how we should want to win our victories: following God’s ways and Him going with us.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11
The Bible declares, “The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blessed His people with peace,” (Psalm 29:1). Peace is a divine blessing. It’s something that is the right of every child of God to have. Refuse to let it go!
