When Shining Splendor Exits Your Heart
Today's blog post is a guest post written by Carol's good friend, author Christy Christopher.
“Who is among you who reverently fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His Servant, yet who walks in darkness and deep trouble and has no shining splendor in his heart? Let him rely on, trust in and be confident in the name of the Lord and let him lean upon and be supported by his God.”
Isaiah 50:10 AMP
There are moments and seasons in life, when the light dims and my vision skews. It's as if I suddenly walk into a dark cave of confusion, discouragement, or sudden, stabbing pain. My friend, sometimes a season of shadows and challenge comes, simply because we are His. Isaiah points out in chapter 50, verse 10 that the one who truly fears the Lord and obeys His voice will sometimes walk into a dark, cold cave of uncertainty.
Imagine you are doing well, loving God, obeying what He has asked of you, and one day you walk right into a web of crisis, grief or calamity. Suddenly, without warning the shining splendor of your life darkens and you are sideswiped! Joy and peace are nowhere to be found.
What does one do before the “day breaks and the shadows flee”? How does a child of God proceed in the quicksand of life? What does one do when his heart won't stop bleeding? How do you take the next step in the darkness of looming depression and anxiety?
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:13
It's in these moments that we need three things: faith for the conviction of what is true, hope for a confident expectation of our future, and frequent love feasts with God and one another. The love of God is a cloak of stability in the face of unstable circumstances.
Putting on the lens of faith, hope and love, will be our ticket through any life trauma event we face in this world. The journey upon this earth will get rugged. It will suddenly turn steep. It will lead you into storms so ferocious that you think you might die on the spot. But the One who engineers a pathway through sea, will escort you through your fiery ordeal. Your heavenly Father will accompany you safely to the other side. He will offer you drink when your soul is parched. He will feed to you bread from heaven when you are faint and can hardly take another step. God will encircle you with His loving embrace when your heart feels like it might break in two. One day, you will cross the finish line and enter into eternity with Him. But until the day breaks and the shadows flee, remember that He is the Lover of your soul and the Lifter of your head.
Now three things remain: faith, hope and love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
My lover is mine and I am his … until the day breaks and the shadows flee.
Song of Solomon 2:16-17
God’s whisper ... My beloved, you are cocooned in the lining of My heart. Receive My warm waves of ease and peace today. Tenderly, I am caring for you as a mother would her child. Come into My embrace now and be nourished and satisfied with all you need.
I call you to contrast your surroundings. When there is chaos, I give you peace. When there is danger, I bring safety. When there is reason to fear in the natural, I encase you in assurance. What shall separate you from the worldly way of thinking and processing? Is it not my constant presence with you? Anxiety must bow at My peace radiating through you. Depression will be dispersed as it collides with My glory living and active in your heart.
In truth, you can be in this world but not of it. I am teaching you to live from the atmosphere of heaven. At your arising, darkness must flee. Think of a light switch. The switch turned on, suddenly eliminates the darkness. You are that switch and My hand is upon you to chase away darkness. There is no dark place where I cannot go and bring light. So, as I am in you, there is no dark place you can go or experience that you cannot dispel evil and darkness. You are My flashlight in the earth! Even in your dark season, it shall not overtake you, but you will see how I will allow you to see sparkling treasures in the shadows and difficult places. There is no such thing as gloom and doom for My child.
Circumstances and situations are given to you in order to catapult you into greater realms of intimacy with Me! So, let go now, of all that hinders you from nestling down in My love for you. I see what you need, I know what makes you sad, mad, happy and glad! It’s all wrapped up in my intentions for you.
Take care then My Beloved and find the ease and peace that brings great contrast to the chaos and challenge of the day! In doing so, you will be that city on a hill for the world to see and be drawn to, in the day of great darkness in the earth!
In doing so, you will be one whom I can count on to grow My Kingdom in the earth. For I will send you on many rescue missions to undo the bands of oppression upon people that I love. I will use you as one who will unlock the prison door for the one chained up by the evil one.
Together dear one, we will do exploits in the earth and shine like the stars in the backdrop of heaven!
I have written a book called “Until the Day Breaks and the Shadows Flee”. It is divided into three sections: lessons in faith, lessons in hope and lessons in love. This devotional trilogy, is a palatable blend of inspirational pictures, exciting testimonies from my life, occasional Hebrew and Greek word study, God whispers and encouragement which will be a source of comfort and strength to any storm-tossed soul! It’s my hope and prayer that you will be challenged in your faith, resuscitated in hope and saturated in His love for you! Visit Carol’s online store to pick up your copy!
