by Oswald Chambers: https://utmost.org/classic/today/
Original Title: Those Borders Of Distrust
Jesus is not rebuking the disciples, their faith was real, but it was disturbed; it was not at work in actual things. The disciples were scattered to their own interests, alive to interests that never were in Jesus Christ. After we have been perfectly related to God in sanctification, our faith has to be worked out in actualities. We shall be scattered, not into work, but into inner desolations and made to know what internal death to God’s blessings means. Are we prepared for this? It is not that we choose it, but that God engineers our circumstances so that we are brought there. Until we have been through that experience, our faith is bolstered up by feelings and by blessings. When once we get there, no matter where God places us or what the inner desolations are, we can praise God that all is well. That is faith being worked out in actualities.
“…and shall leave Me alone.”
Have we left Jesus alone by the scattering of His providence? Because we do not see God in our circumstances? Darkness comes by the sovereignty of God. Are we prepared to let God do as He likes with us — prepared to be separated from conscious blessings? Until Jesus Christ is Lord, we all have ends of our own to serve; our faith is real, but it is not permanent yet. God is never in a hurry; if we wait, we shall see that God is pointing out that we have not been interested in Himself but only in His blessings. The sense of God’s blessing is elemental.
“Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Spiritual grit is what we need.
There are moments in life when your heart is so very broken, and buried under such unimaginable weight of sorrow, that your spiritual morse code (S.O.S. distress signal to Jesus Christ) is so very faint and found wanting, that your heart simply cries out in desperation: “LORD HELP! Do you not see me in this pit?”
Lies of the enemy flood your mind as he reminds you of your shortcomings. Deeper and deeper you sink. Spiritual Grit? You don’t even have Spiritual Spit!
Introducing A.W. Tozer … another powerful warrior who helped me understand intellectually (and thus accept emotionally) that Father God’s attributes WERE TRUSTWORTHY and that I could declare: “He IS a “Good, Good Father.”
Blessings, Mary Budesheim
