God through the Looking Glass

If you look up the term "Looking Glass," you will find this as one of its meanings: "being or involving the opposite of what is normal or expected."  This is a fitting definition to the experience I had at the movies the other night.

My family and I were able to go and see "Alice Through The Looking Glass"the other night.  It was a great movie, one that I will surely watch again.  But what has captivated me about the movie is not the movie itself, but the fact that the Lord used a statement in the movie to speak to me.   That's right, the Lord used a statement in the movie to get my attention to what he is doing in my life.   

I am at a place in my journey of faith where I am realizing that God actively speaking to us all the time, if we will just learn to listen.   I feel like the young prophet Samuel, who is just know recognizing God's voice beyond what we have in his Word, the voice of His Spirit whispering to my spirit.  

The statement that the Holy Spirit used to captivated was this: "Everything will become clear in the fullness of time."  It initially captivated me because it sounds like a Biblical statement.  For example, the apostle Paul said this about the coming of Christ, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son..." (Galatians 4:4).  Also, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known" (1 Cor. 13:12).  But God used the statement to give me what many call a "Now" word.  

The Holy Spirit kept impressing upon me, as I watched the movie, "everything will be clear in the fullness of time."  It wasn't until today that I realized the Lord is once again bringing purpose and destiny to the season of life that I am in at this time.  I have done exactly what God has told me to do, and I am exactly where God wants me to be at this season in my life.  This is why I struggle with God concerning what he is doing in my life.  But God is up to something, and that something will become clear "in the fullness of time."  

Yes, the Holy Spirit whispered to my spirit in the movies the other night.  As a result, I am confident that my momentary season of suffering will not compare to the glorious future that is ahead.  There will come a moment in my life where I will fully realize this statement: "Everything will become clear in the fullness of time."  

And with that, I say, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening."  

The Struggle of Faith

I'm not going to lie.  I find great comfort in the fact that godly men, like King David, struggled with his faith.  For example, this morning I started my daily reading in the Psalms and I find this, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?" (Ps. 13:1).  Ironically, I have spent the last year crying out those very same words.  So, I am comforted knowing that my struggle of faith is characteristic of the life of faith.  But why?

Why does God allow us to struggle with our faith? Well, I think he does simply because he is our sovereign Father, and knows that our struggle can and will lead us to a stronger and greater faith.  If we don't have questions, complaints, doubts, or disappointments in our faith journey, can we truly say that our faith is growing stronger? I doubt it.

It has been my experience that my struggle has always led me to a greater understanding of who God is, and greater trust in his character.  Let me explain.  I wept many times this year in despair, questioning God and his great love for me.  At times, I have felt that he has abandoned me, or at least was out to get me.  As I processed these feelings and struggles with what God has revealed of himself in the good news of the gospel, I have always come to this conclusion: "But I have trusted in your steadfast love, my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me." (Ps. 13:5-6).  Yes, in Christ, I can declare: "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"  I can trust in God's goodness and faithfulness, knowing that all I will ever need I have in Jesus.

So, struggle on! Be transparent before God! He's big enough to handle your struggles. And as you struggle on, cling to his unchanging goodness found in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Why yes, I did pray for that Lord....

You ever have one of those moments with the Lord where he gives you clarity? This morning was one of those moments for me.

It's not unusual for me to spend Sunday mornings asking God, "Why?" I spent 17 years of my adult life waking up almost every Sunday morning at 3:00 am, spending time with the Lord, preparing to lead his people in worship and word.  For 17 years I spent 20 or more hours each week preparing messages from God to share with God's people.  Sundays were my favorite days of the week because I was able to do what I'm called and passionate to do, preach and lead God's people in worship.  So, you can maybe understand my Sunday struggle of questioning God's plan.  

Interestingly, this morning, before I started to spend time with the Lord in his word, I prayed this prayer, "Lord, open my eyes to your reality, not mine."   And he did.

He first reminded me that what I am going through is an answer to a prayer that I have prayed most of my Christian life.  It is the dangerous prayer: "Lord, break me."  Yep, I prayed it often, and still do, just not as much in the last year.  Instead, I pray something like this, "Lord, when are you going to stop breaking me?"  In reality, one must be broken to experience more of God.  I want more of God's anointing, and with that anointing comes brokenness and suffering.  Therefore, I will never stop asking God to break me because I want more of him.

Second, he revealed that the season I am in is a season of "Forgetfulness."  Not that I am going to forget things, but that I am going to feel forgotten and abandoned.  Forgotten and abandoned by God's people, but mostly, God himself.  This season of" Forgetfulness" serves a tremendous purpose in the process of sanctification and becoming more like Jesus.  If you remember, Jesus had this season just before he went to the cross.

This season is characterized by, not only feeling forgotten by God and his people, but also, at times, feeling like all hope has perished.  In this season, we have a choice.  We can turn to God and seek him with all our heart as our safe place and stronghold in a time of trouble, or we can turn to idols and find our needs met in them.  What it comes down to is trust.

There is a time and a season for everything, and that includes a season of feeling forgotten and abandoned.  When you are in that season, cling to God for he is a stronghold for the forgotten and abandoned.  

What I have found is that God has infused in my family's life some great people in this season to help us get through.  Just a reminder that he will never leave us or abandoned us.