Sheltered in the Cleft

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Best Of Times... Hopelessness

The best times in my life are when I feel the worst and hope is gone.

It is in my darkness that the Lord shines His brightest and gives me a hope. Hope in Him, and trust that all he has for me is for good and not evil. (Jeremiah 29:11)

The unprotected and vulnerable part of me is my heart. It's where Satan attacks. He knows it is the bullseye for gaining a stronghold in me.

It starts with sorrow. Sorrow for not having what I want most. Sorrow turns to fear.
Fear tells me things may be worse than I think they are, Fear tells me things will never change and I will have to live with these things for the rest of my life.
Fear turns into anger, and anger turns into unforgivness and self-centeredness. When all these emotions have been allowed to run their course and it produces no change in my life or situation, I arrive at hopelessness.

It is at the point of hopelessness the Lord picks me up and washes me in His love and reminds me that I don't need to look out for myself and make sure I get whats best for me... thats His job and I'm not trusting Him with me.

Shame overcomes me for not finding my all in Him, and wanting more than giving. Giving what He daily gives me;
Love,
companionship,
faithfulness
and forgivness.

Repentence removes the shame. With repentence I am filled once again with His love. His strength. His power. His purpose.
And His eternal, un-ending hope.

Hope removes sorrow. And sorrow is where it all started.

"And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my stength is made perfect in weakness. 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: 9, 10