Ecclesiastes 3:11 – “He has made everything appropriate in its time.”
Here we are again… redefining how we look at life in both good and bad times. There is one more (Part 5), so I’m praying that my thoughts will enlighten you as I have been enlightened through these devotionals.
Sometimes even a strong Christian who fears the Lord and obeys Jesus’ commandments will at times walk on a path that seems like God is not lighting the way. It is important to know God hasn’t abandoned you, or trying to punish you, but actually, they are times when God is working on something bigger in your life and can’t really see what it is until His will unfolds. It’s almost as if you were walking in a dark tunnel, and begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Once you see the light…you know you are going the right way, and will run toward it!
Take Shdrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three guys refused to worship a king’s gold idol, and for that were sentenced to be burned alive. I don’t know about you, but that’s a pretty horrific and excruciating way to die, yet these three guys stood firm in their faith stating God CAN deliver them and that He WILL, but if He doesn’t, then they will worship the gold idol… They were in that dark tunnel, and said we are going forward and know there is light at the end of the tunnel, but if we do not see it, we will turn back around and worship the gold idol. Of course most of us know the story very well, that they were thrown into the fiery furnace and an angel protected them and came out without any burnt clothing or smell of fire. They might have questioned themselves as they were about to be thrown into the furnace…yet they continued to produce faith, and their faith was rewarded with the light at the end of the tunnel. Through their lives, they changed the King’s heart and the king realized their God was the true and living God! That was probably God’s intention when He had these three guys walk the dark path.
Do you feel like you are walking on a dark path? Do you feel abandoned by God? Maybe it’s time to think what if God is going to use me in such a big way, and that this stage of life is merely a preparation for what God has in store for you. Actually, for myself, that is kind of how I feel right now, but I am encouraged to continue on this path that I am walking on, and I know God CAN use me, and I know He WILL use me.  I see Him preparing me in such little things in my life right now, and I pray I will see the light very soon. 😛