There are so many things in life that are uncertain—important things. This may itself be a time of uncertainty for you. Understanding, you think, if I could just understand it wouldn't seem so bad. We think if we could see just a silhouette of what might be, today would not seem so dark. Strength fails us. Weariness adds its weight daily to my soul. Anxiety strikes and seizes me frequently without warning. I do not understand what is happening with me. How long? When, when shall my deliverance be when life seems so uncertain now?
There are times when we have exited the clouds of uncertainty only to discover some things we are glad we had no prior knowledge, things that if known would have clouded and weighed our minds even further. But still, there are some things we desire desperately to know—now: answers to long sought objects of our tearful prayers or the way clear of a present cloud or storm. It could be the sting of a betrayed loyalty, love, or friendship, fear of an impending loss or a time of great chaos, confusion and upheaval. We believe having prior knowledge or some understanding of how it may eventually be with us would mitigate our present anxiety thus allowing some joy, any joy, in our current dark days. God does not generally give us the choice of that knowledge. However, one thing we can know is that while we can't see, He can. While we can't control the outcome, He does.
When we come to the end of our logic and reason, all the advice of family and friends, read the last chapter in the latest best seller self-help book, we have to turn to the One from whom all things came. If anyone is to understand, it must be Him ("So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." - Romans 10:17). One of the things He tells us is that we are to "walk by faith and not by sight." (II Corinthians 5:7) "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26) "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Hebrews 11:3) "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" (I Peter 1:7)
It is clear in these few examples of His Word, God does not have to look to "things that are" for solutions for "things to be." To have been an observer when He brought "all things" into existence from "no thing", we would stand with mouth agape in stark disbelief. Who among ten thousand would not say: Impossible! I saw it but I still don't believe it! Regardless of your belief, there it is! The evidence of that event and fact remains. It is undisputed by modern scientists—that moment when matter exploded into existence and continues to expand and form in wonder and awe. Look about you. New discoveries of what once was thought, impossible! continue to delight us. But, you retort: I don't see how! Precisely! Now, isn't that where you are in your present uncertainty? You don't see how? You've exhausted all reason from the best wisdom of men.
Logic and faith cannot coexist. Logic tells us there is no way out of nothing came something. That same logic insinuates itself deep within us, telling us the same: there is no way out of our present uncertainty. God tells us there is. He tells us His ways are not our ways, His thoughts not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8). Our knowledge and understanding of things know limits, boundaries; His, boundless. He tells 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. Be not wise in thine own eyes..."- Proverbs 3:5-7. In other words, you cannot trust what you see. How many times have you been mistaken about something that appeared to be to you?
We look at our present circumstances through natural eyes at a natural world. Is it any wonder, then, regardless of the strength of our sight, we do not see a "natural" thing that can possibly be a solution to our dilemma, relief from our sorrow, a cure for our unbearable fatigue and pain? When our eyes have grown dim through our many tears and searching, our bodies tired from countless sleepless nights, our soul numb from the enduring pain, He instructs us to cease looking about (Isaiah 41:10) and with a commitment of faith say with all thy might and heart: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help." (Psalms 121:1) Clearly, He means, look up. Cast your eyes upon Him "for He careth for you". (I Peter 5:7) "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." (Psalms 34:18,19)
Now to the heart of the matter, the purpose you read, the hope you seek to find, the relief you so desperately desire. First let me ask you to cease your longing, your searching, your looking; quit yourself. The answer does not lie within your mind nor with yourself. Neither does the answer you seek lie within any other source but One. There is no formula, set of steps, rules you must follow or outline someone has written in that best seller. It is this, and when I tell you don't scoff or dismiss it for its simplicity. Many do at their own peril and continue languishing in their heartache and grief.
Begin by remembering when you were a child in your happiest years. All of us remember those times when growing up regardless of our lot in life or how short lived they were. There was a time, a place, a season in which we experienced life in our developing minds in a happy and contented state--no cares, no worries, no thought of our shortcomings or lack. We did not see the ominous cloud in our day in portent of what might come on the morrow. We were children. Our problems, if existed, were simple, small, solvable and short-lived. even to our own minds. We did not dwell upon them. The greater cares of our existence, food, clothing, shelter and the perplexities of life did not lie within our duties. We did not concern ourselves with those realms of responsibility. They were our parents' or caretakers' and they did not confide in us their details or difficulty. Our trust in them was simple and complete, and in most cases, without thought. It was a given, so we played and when we finally relinquished the day for bed and lay our heads upon our pillows, we slept, the sleep of a child—a sweet sleep, innocent and unencumbered. When we dreamed, our dreams did not haunt us. Often-times we reveled in their vivid fantasies. And when we awoke the next morning, excitement, hope, anticipation, curiosity of what good we would encounter in the new day filled our minds and hearts. We carried with us throughout the day a deep sense of anticipation of new discoveries, expanding our perception of our growing world and self. We seized that new beginning, each and every morning, with the wonder and innocence of a child. We sensed within us those daily increments of advancement in a path toward a purpose we believed would be unique to ourselves, one that would define us and give ultimate meaning to our life as we grew older. What hope beat within our breasts! What promises we believed life had to offer! What faith!
And now I ask you: what has changed? When did you stop believing? Hoping? Wondering? Why have the circumstances of today clouded your vision of what will be tomorrow just because you can't see it? Truly you feel within you, thus compounding your sorrow, a great sense there must be more than this for your life and its meaning. Usually, this is the condition that develops when the child fails to transfer their child-hood faith in their earthy parents, who were but an example, to a child-like faith in their Heavenly Father when becoming an adult. There is a sense of abandonment and being all alone in the world, left to fend for ourselves entirely. Quickly, we make our own plans for independent life and strike out in search. When that search fails to produce our expected results of bringing a complete sense of happiness, genuine fulfillment and satisfaction for the soul, there remains within us still a longing and a sense there must be more (Read Ecclesiastes). We begin to question why this is so and that cloud of uncertainty appears and grows darker the longer we think we remain our own masters—transfer and transformation from earthly to heavenly dependence never having taken place. This was never intended by the Father.
Deep within the breast of every child and human soul God has placed an eternal part of Himself that
seeks to return to Him, and in returning to Him does not allow in any degree incompletion of His purpose He intended within the one
it is placed. Bear with me for a moment. Does not His word say that by His Word were and are all things created? Listen to it:
"In the beginning was the Word...and the Word was God...All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was
made." (John 1:1,2) Listen to Him in that moment of creation when He spoke. Ten times in the first chapter of Genesis alone you will
find, "AND GOD SAID" even though He spoke at greater length. I will give you but a few:
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"And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of
the earth after his kind: and it was so." (Genesis 1:24)
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"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...So God created man in his own image, in the image
of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:26,27)
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"and God said...Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:28)
An endearing repeated expression of Jesus reveals to us the answer we seek. Again, you will be wise not do dismiss its simplicity out of hand. If Jesus was keen on it, how much the more should we? Let me begin first with His call: "Come unto me all you who are heavy burdened..." - Mt.11:28. Continuing, He said: "...no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father" - John 6:65. Then He assures us: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" - John 6:37. In another place He speaks: "Suffer the little children to come unto me...for such is the kingdom of God" - Mark 10:14. And then He gives the key to seeing and entering His kingdom: "...Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" - Matthew 18:3. Time and again Jesus uses the ascription: "Little children" speaking to His genuine disciples and followers. It is repeated by both John and Paul in their writings in the years that followed His departure (e.g., Galatians 4:19; I John 2:1 - search for them as you read).
To Nicodemus, a man highly trained in the law of Moses and who viewed his ancestery rooted deep in the father of the Jews, Abraham, Jesus said: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" - John 3:3. There you have it! Except a man be born again; except ye be converted and become as little children! Little children? Yes, little children! We are to become AS little children, not come as but become as, always becoming, to have that child-hood faith we once had in earthly parents now as child-like faith in the Heavenly Father! With total dependence upon their love and mercy, we were not our masters then nor are we to be our masters now! How often did we think how wonderful it would finally be when we would gain our independence from them, even allowing to develop a spirit of rebellion in varying degrees? Think for a moment. Isn't that the same ploy and trick satan played on the first two God created?—Be your own man or woman! he said. How did that work out? I'm not saying we should never have left home and our parents. God forbid! That is foolish! What I am saying is the role of our parents was to teach and show us by example their dependence upon God for all things in their life, so, when the time came we would by design leave home, our faith and dependence on Him likewise would have become healthy and strong for our transition and survival in a fallen world to a dependence on Someone other than ourselves. And, I might add, I like to think if every child had Godly parents who taught them in His ways, transferring their children's dependence upon them as they grew older to their need and dependence upon the Heavenly Father, the world would not need preachers today, nor policemen, nor prisons!
Herein lies your answer, your hope, your promise from Him! Return to that transitional time from childhood to adulthood. Find the heart of that child you once were. Surrender and lean now totally upon Jesus. You say, but no, that is too simple! I knew you would. That's what Nicodemus couldn't understand! But that is the wonder of it! It requires no effort but to surrender. He has done it all!! He has declared it so (Jn.19:30). We have all gone astray, each our own separate way (Ps.119:176; Isa.53:6). For this cause He came, to seek and find those who have lost their way (Lk.19:10; Ez.4:11-12; Jn.10:27). What remains for our benefit is merely to recieve what He has done and act upon it. Then, say to Him: thank you. Unbelievable? The fact you exist is unbelievable. All that surrounds you is unbelievable! Believe, and keep on believing! This is the story of the prodigal (Lk.15:24). And I tell you there is great rejoicing in heaven when you do this (Lk.15:10).
You say, I have done this in my life. I have trusted Jesus and my Heavenly Father for my salvation. That is wonderful. But permit me to ask this. You say you have trusted Him for your salvation, but that is for your soul when life ends. Have you trusted Him for your new life now? Have you yielded to Him in every facet of your life, as you once did with your parents? Remember this: while you lived at home what was yours was theirs, including yourself, though you enjoyed those things in full liberty for yourself. What was theirs was yours with free right of acccess. Now, have you applied that principle, that teaching of Jesus for total surrender of your will, all you have, all you are, even the possession of your own life? Can you say, as Paul I am crucified in Christ, it is no longer I that liveth but Christ who liveth in me? If so, keep on believing. Do not waver. Remain in your confidence in Him when everthing indicates you can't even sense His presence any longer. He has not abandoned you. He sees exactly where you are. He is doing things you cannot see now but He will show you soon when He is done preparing it and you for it.
So, while no one just now may seem to have the solution to your present uncertainty that would still your heart, remember, little child, He has your heart. It's in good Hands. And in His hands, so too, rests your concern. He speaks to you today: "...Be of good cheer; I have overcome..." - John 16:33. Rest. Rest your soul and when you lay your head upon your pillow tonight, drift back into that simpler time in child-hood as He works His mystery within you in renewal and recovery. When you awake, awake with that awe and wonder of that little child into your Father's world, His kingdom here on earth, in complete trust, now as a child of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Trust Him with that child-like faith, resting on His promise He will work all things to your good and His glory.
Whether you can see it just now or believe it, there is joy in today. There are gifts it will bring. God has not abandoned you! Receive them in the Spirit of God's offer. Look for one and when you find it, look again; He will show you another. That is often the way He works. He won't show you many until you have seen just one. Anticipate them. Practice looking, day after day. And when the day is done, reflect back on it and think of each one He has shown you when you rest your head at night. Too often we make the mistake, compounding our dilemma, looking for our hope to come in one giant step, a single event or fortune. That may be true and certainly is within His realm of possibilities. But more often it is the case that our answer begins in small subtle ways and because we are looking for the grand we fail to see the tiny but real. Keep the focus of the mind that of a child. The child does not miss the "little things" in their lives. As adults now, we are amazed when we see their sight for the simple and the awe they demonstrate in seeing it. Think as a child. See as a child. Trust as a child. Live in the confidence of a child, now as a man, or woman, all grown up.
Remember the words of the Psalmist: "This is the day the Lord hath made..." And what are we to do with it? That's right, "rejoice and be glad in it" (Ps.118:24).So, lift your head and reach for that song in your heart; you will overcome. Just a thought here. Remember how His Word speaks to the Father's care even for the tiny sparrow? When was the last time you saw two perched together discussing the uncertainty of where they would find their next worm? Silly? Right? Now I don't mean to diminish your very real pain and uncertainty. No. I do not. I only say that as a tiny nudge to emphasize what I've been saying about casting your cares upon Him who careth for you, having that trusting, abiding, constant child-like faith, that joy each day of life demonstrated by God's tiniest creatures—illustrated by both sparrow and little child.
It is the Joy of the Lord that is your Strength. Remember the mighty things God has done when His children of old were singing. It gives strength to those charged to serve us that gives us the victory. ("For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways". - Psalms 91:11. See also: Ps.34:7; Mt.4:6: Heb.1:14) Rejoice. Sing unto Him. It seems so simple. Go ahead, give it a try; find that song within you. The bombs may be bursting all around you. Darts of Satan may be striking, but our God says to draw nigh to Him in the thick of those storm clouds of uncertainty. To us, yes, things may seem uncertain just now, but to Him, not only does He see clearly their outcome but is involved in the smallest details of working it out for you. Trust! Believe! And rest, while walking. If you need to sit for awhile, sit, but rest whether sitting or walking (Ps.37:7, 23-24). Quit yourself! Allow Him.
See also: Rising Above Our Burdens.
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