God has our best interest at heart, although according to human reasoning,
it does not always appear so. We often unwittingly pray against the will of God
in our life, and He cannot answer those prayers (1 John 5:14). We fight life’s negative circumstances and cry out for Him to correct
them; when He is actually using them to correct our course in life (James 1:2). His desire is for us to fully surrender to Him in
trials, so that He can use them to do His perfect work in us (James 1:2-12). The comfort we seek often first depends upon our
repentance of our current sins (2
Corinthians 7:10).
The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life often fuel
our prayers and our activities in life (1 John
2:16). We want
bragging rights for our hard earned achievements, rather than realizing they
are the result of God’s Spirit working in and through our life. We want worldly
gain, when God’s will is for us to walk in holiness (Isaiah 35:8). As we seek first His Kingdom, He provides us with everything we need (Matthew 6:33). The flesh is worthless, but God’s Spirit gives us
life. We find both life and spirit in the words of Jesus (John 6:63).
When we suffer from stress,
abandonment, grief, anxiety, failure or illness and we feel overwhelmed and
defeated by life, God hides us in the cleft of the rock and reveals Himself to
us (Exodus 33:22). Our Rock of Ages
is ever present to help us in our time of need (Isaiah 26:4). If we only seek His provision, we will never be
happy; however, if we seek Him and His presence in our life, we will live a
fulfilled life regardless of our circumstances. We can dwell with the most
disappointing husband, rebellious children, horrible work experience, most devastating
illness or the driest church life and still live in the fullness of God through
Christ in us (Galatians 2:20).
God desires that we live in such constant fellowship with Him that His rivers of living water flow in us, through us and out of us and upon everyone we come in contact with throughout our day (John 7:38). When the comforts of this life fail us, we find our refuge in the love of Christ within us (Psalm 46:1). He reassures us as no one else can, because He lives inside of us and knows our every thought (Colossian 1:27). He inhabits eternity and uses all of His power and authority to meet our needs (Isaiah 57:15). He is waiting with open arms to embrace us at any moment we care to cast our soul upon Him.
As the Lord searches our heart, He understands the
motives behind our thoughts (1 Chronicles 28:9). His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah
55:8-9). God hides us in the cleft of
Salvation, through Jesus Christ our Rock, before revealing Himself to us (Ps 18:2;
62:6; Exodus 33:22). We live as
imitators of God, as His beloved child (Ephesians 5:1; 1 Corinthians
11:1). As we walk as a fragrant gift in
surrender to God’s will, we savor the sweet love Christ gives to us (Ephesians
5:1-2). Even if we fall, we are never
utterly cast down, because He sustains us in His hand (Psalm
37:24; Song of Solomon 8:3).
Prayer:
Lord
Jesus, overflowing with Your divine fullness we find that nothing is impossible
for us to achieve according to Your will (Philippians 2:12-13). You brought us up out of
the miry pit of self-centeredness and set our feet upon the Rock of Christ (Psalm 27:5,
40:2; 1 Corinthians 10:4). In troubling times, You hide us in Your tabernacle. There
is nothing to fear, because nothing can separate us from your love: not the
trials of life, spiritual powers, the past or the future, no mountain top or
deep valley of circumstance, no created thing and not even death (Jeremiah
42:11; Romans 8:38-39). You hide us in the depth of
Your love (Acts 17:11).Thought for the Day:
Is Jesus Christ actually dwelling within you? – 2 Corinthians 13:5
Thank you, Vickie Liu, for the use of your photo.
