Last night, while talking to a friend, I mentioned how God allows certain bad things to happen. But my friend furiously fought the idea of this wonderful loving Father God allowing such things.
I realised that this was how I used to be in the past. When hurtful things happened, it would take me ages to love God fully again. Now that didn’t mean I hated God. But I would sulk. I couldn’t worship Him with all my might. Even though I would get over it, it was still a habit. A bad habit!
However, I am so grateful to God, who keeps teaching us – the One who is ever patient and forever merciful.
At one intimate time with God, I screamed out in prayer, “Lord, replace my dreams (both good and bad) with your dreams. Please stop listening to my prayer and do what you want. I give you permission to override my will. Don’t listen to me and have your way because your way is better than mine.”
I believe that was the most dangerous prayer I’ve ever prayed.
One by one, God allowed me to fail in many areas that I never expected to. God allowed me to fall in many areas that I boasted most and was self righteous about. God shut my favourite doors on my face.
It was painful. He began to strip me little by little, step by step. A process that I think will complete only with His return or my death. I weep as I write this. God began to expose me in the most painful way and I began to love it. Because it was no more about how good I was. It was about how big His mercy was (and is) that covered me!
God does allow failure because He doesn’t want us to succeed in the wrong thing. [ClickToTweet] And many a time, we get frustrated because we don’t consider it as a wrong desire. However, please know that even the best of our blessings in the wrong time will turn to be a pain.
And who would know this better than God! And what bigger privilege can we have than to surrender into the hand of that loving Father who will turn all things for our good as we continue to love Him!
“So too the Holy Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we should, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
[27] And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the Holy Spirit what His intent is, because the Spirit intercedes and pleads before God in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will.
[28] We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together [and are fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to His design and purpose.” Romans 8:26-28 AMP
Allow me to illustrate: Imagine a boy as old as my daughter Kathryn bullying her. I could silence that boy for good with a single punch. But instead, I would sit down with my baby girl and teach her how to overcome that bully. However, there will be a time when I see a wild beast stronger than what she can overcome coming to attack her. I am not going to stay and watch.
It is the same with us. Even when God is silent, He is teaching us to overcome the enemy through His Word and prayer. The problem with us is that for us, every little issue is a wild beast that we expect God to come running to our rescue.
Every time I fell. Every time I missed my mark. Every time my dreams were crushed. It was like a pit hole that I could never rise up from. But I was wrong. I had no heavens opening, dove fluttering, angels descending, but His silent presence was always beside me even when I did not feel so.
And my dear GTH reader and friend, I want to assure you, this post is for you! And comes to you by no accident! Rise up. God’s silence is Him teaching you to strategically overcome the battles that you are most afraid of.
He wants you to stop fearing the enemy and the only way you can do that is to stop asking Him to help you and get into the battle knowing He is behind you!
“Praise the Lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle. [2] He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield, and I take refuge in Him. He makes the nations submit to me. [3] O Lord, what are human beings that You should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them?” Psalm 144:1-3 NLT
Jesus is with you and HE has overcome the world and in Him, we are more than conquerors!
Discuss:
Have you ever felt God shutting some of your favourite doors on your face and asked God ‘Why?’?
Are you going through a painful time, which, contrary to a natural reaction, you are thankful for?
We would like to hear from you. Discuss in the comments section below.