Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead along the path of everlasting life.
Rain falling....
Daybreak is approaching, buy hasn't wrestled with the darkness yet. Each day is a battle between the darkness and the light. Day will rise and replace the darkness for a time. As the hours pass by, darkness will reappear and daylight will slip away. I guess my goal is to find that place of spiritual stability where I can stand no matter which one is prevalent..spiritual light or dark. I think maybe it is all part of setting my mind to face whatever the next 24 hours hands me. i like how this mindset (and heart-set) is described in Ephesians 6:13 - Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and have done everything, to stand firm.
The simple act of "standing" in the face of evil....a.k.a. darkness is what we are called to do. How hard is it to stand? Well, pretty hard when everything inside you is screaming to run. But you don't. You stand. You refuse to remove yourself from the situation. Where does this fortitude and strength to stand come from? God. Because such a thought and action is not found in us. We want to cut and run. We want to retreat into what we believe is a safe place. When we reject God's call to stand, and we run away, we are actually playing into the hands of our enemy, the devil. When we run away, we usually are looking for comfort by returning to old ways and old behaviors. It really is like the old adage says...."Jumping from the frying pan into the fire."
This morning a sadness hangs over me. Someone I love dearly has done exactly what I've written about. They have turned and run away, rather than face what the day may have brought to them. They did stand for a season. They did dig their heels in and refused to give into that dark tug to take the easier softer way. For whatever reason, they gave in. I know that because of the truth that this person has been exposed to, this morning is a miserable time for them. There isn't enough drugs or alcohol around to dull the guilt and shame they are living under. For this reason, I do pray that God would lay hold of them before the enemy brings his destruction once again into their life. I fear that this individual may not have another "rodeo" out there. This time may be the last one. I do say such to bring judgment on this person. I've just seen too many who keep pushing the envelope, so to speak. Believe you me, if you push enough, eventually the envelope will push back and kill you.
So my prayer today for my friend, and everyone else out there in their addiction is that they would heed the words of Ephesians 6. That they would replace their ragged, tattered garments of sin for the FULL ARMOR OF GOD. Having done so......then stand.
Simply that....
Stand.
God on you...
mbb
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