Holy Silence Page17

 “God was speaking and moving.  
He always is-even in His Silence”.1

Journal entry January 2011:    Lord, as I look back through my journal …. it is amazing to see you at work in my life.  I repeat often that you “are working in the unseen realm on my behalf”.  That is me clinging to my faith; however, looking back through these writings, your Hand-at-work is INCREDIBLY VISIBLE.

They say that hindsight is 20/20...and my journaling proves this to be true.  I face each day using my faith as a map to travel forward…but looking back I literally see a spiritual map from you.  I see your wisdom at work as you encourage my faith.  I see profound truths and your mercy just over-flowing.  It’s interesting that for a long while now I’ve felt as if I wasn’t growing spiritually and that my heart was held at bay—unable to feel your presence.  I pondered the quiet distance from you that has persisted in my life of late.  I am confident that this has been a time in which you were requiring me to stand on that faith I claimed I had. …yet…it was concerning, this quietness.

As I look back over the pages of my journal… I see you!!!  Over these particular months I thought there was a spiritual distance between us…but have discovered that it was actually a Holy Silence.  With Great purpose the silence has persisted…and with great lessons you’ve filled my journal.  I’ve been slowed down by the silence so that you could re-generate my faith.  This silence presented itself so that I would quiet my fierce heart enough to admit you must take care of my concerns…because I can’t. 

Holy Silence gives us a phenomenal opportunity to draw close to You, Lord…that is if we see the silence as holy.  I mistakenly thought I had lost my faith…my grip on you…but as the saying goes…I'm not holding on to you…you are holding on to me (like a father holds on to his precious child).  What grace!  What mercy!  What love! 

The Lesson for the reader: 

 You may be pondering the phrase Holy Silence! 
Scripture says in Habakkuk 2:20:

“The Lord is in His Holy Tabernacle;
 let the earth be silent before him!” 
 Ponder the literal meaning of that scripture and THAT is Holy silence.

   Revelation 8:1 says…
“…there was silence in heaven for about half an hour”.
 THAT  is Holy Silence. 

 There are times when we experience a silence in our Christian life and attribute it as spiritual distance.  In reality, this silence, full of inaudible power,  can be a personal gift from God-- full of great opportunity to dig deeper into His word and stand on steadfast faith.  It may even encourage us to approach the Throne of Grace and surrender EVERYTHING.   They say that silence is Golden…I say it is Holy. 

There is nothing as honorable and noble than to sit silently with a loved one while they grieve or weep.  Words are of no avail.  The same is true of God.  At times He sits quietly beside us while our hearts just over-flow.  No words are necessary at this time.  His presense is all that's needed.  Silence is the gift of love.

Song Recommendation:
Oh Holy Place
By:  Cece Winans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ8_LM2Osx8



1- Discerning the Voice of God By Priscilla Shirer    

A Shimmer of Hope! Page 16

As we studied on Page 15, and in Isaiah 55: 9-11, God’s word will fulfill the meaning for which is was sent.  With this said it's important to remember that timing is everything.  In this world, where we are use to instant gratification it is pertinent that we spiritually practice the art of waiting.  There are many scriptures that suggest that we “wait on the Lord”.  There are blessings attached to these scriptures.  Good things come to those who wait.  Did you know that this common adage is based on scripture?  Here are a few examples:

Isaiah 30:18
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you,
He rises to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of Justice,
Blessed are all who wait on Him!”

Psalm 40:1
“I waited patiently for the Lord;
He turned to me and heard my cry…”

Lamentations 3:22-24
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

Isaiah 40:31
“…those who wait on the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.”

About waiting....

About a month before my husband and I closed our business I found myself in the mode of waiting.  You would think that with a shop to close one would be in the mind-set that there is a ton to do...and there was.  There were employees to tell, customers to tell, sensitive matters to attend to, financial and otherwise.  Once the chiming on the front doors stopped on that final day you would assume that it was all said and done….but truthfully,  my heart knew that God was not done….and that all the scriptures and guidance He had provided as we moved out in faith to open the store had great purpose and that there was more on the horizon.  I knew there was more to it than just this!!!

 During this time we were called to walk through painful financial decisions and down difficult roads to navigate.  We stepped into the unknown and uncertain.  Graciously, the one thing I did know was that God was there with us.   I was certain of this!  As I’ve discussed on previous pages, God is with us….even when we don’t feel it.  Sometimes emotions are absent…and at times worldly circumstances will seem to contradict God’s word….and THAT is when we must wait in faithful expectation as God works things out.

One particular day my emotions were indeed absent.  About three years worth of business investing, goal setting, house selling, family moving, community leaving,  church and friend good-byeing, economy collapsing, miracle loan attaining, store-front building, Grand-Opening effort…had come to a close.   I needed to get out into the sunshine so I drove to a pond near my house to sit for a while and do my Bible Study.  As I parked my car I noticed that there were large weeds growing everywhere that looked like sunflowers.  It was a beautiful sight.   I wondered why something so pretty would be deemed a weed.  The sun was rising and a wind was blowing slightly creating shimmers of light that reflected off the water.  These shimmers looked like brilliants stars.  It was mesmerizing and I watched for awhile…my heart full of earthly concerns.  I thought “God is giving me a shimmer of hope”.  I looked down to read my Bible Study and looked back up and they were gone!  I was disappointed because I needed that encouraging shimmer that day.  But I realized that this was exactly what my Bible Study was teaching.  The date was July 21^st.

For a full understanding of that lesson that day read the devotional on July 21st in
 Streams in the Desert By: Cowman
A sentence from this devotional says this:

  “…for it is faith that believes God and His word when circumstances, emotions, appearances, people, and human reason all seem to urge something to the contrary”.

That sentence is phenomenal!  It literally covers ALL human reason.  The key words are “for it is faith that believes God…”.   If you'll notice, within Christianity, faith seems to be the point on which everything turns.   On this particular day I am sitting in my car with despair so prevelant my emotions have gone quiet.  I’m looking for any form of solace and so I’m seeking refuge at the local pond.  Though it is a sunny day, dark valleys are in front of me that I must walk through.  Dangerous places I’ve never been, I’m now being forced to go.  This is the metaphor but the truth of it is this:    I’ve always been confident that God led us to this business venture.  Even before our business opened and then closed I knew that God was taking me on a spiritual journey and I was willing to go!  Faith cleared the way!  

 I’ve shared with many friends and my family that this was not about the business venture …but a spiritual journey.  God  planned to lead me to a deeper faith, a deeper understanding and a deeper trust in Him…and He did!  My best laid plans did not come to pass… but God’s did.  The end result was not as I expected….but it’s exactly what God meant.  He was not interested in my business succeeding per se….He was interested in my soul prospering.  He wanted me to seek Him out, draw close to Him, get to know Him, depend on Him, cry to Him, wait on Him…and ultimately learn to totally trust Him….and I do! 

We  all must choose to trust God when earthly circumstances say contrary, when our emotions are dormant due to disappointment… and even when the shimmer of light is gone.  God is good and His compassion is new everyday!  Nature and creation shouts that God is quite bold...but God can also be found in a small shimmer of hope!  Faith provides that shimmer!  God is in the slight wind that moves the waters of circumstance.    On this particular morning he blessed me with weeds that looked like sunflowers …and momentary shimmers of light that danced with hope on the dawn of a new day. 

As of now....the elements are still against us due to our business closing… but early on, just as I started down the path of this spiritual journey, God said to me:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
for I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel,
your Savior…!”
Isaiah 43: 1-3

Because of His love we have not been consumed!  We trust in the Most High God.  "Great is His faithfulness."  We are waiting in Faithful expectation for the Lord, our God to fulfill the words which He gave us and fulfill the meaning for which they were sent. 
Amen and Amen.

Song Recommendation
Praise You In This Storm
By:  Casting Crowns

A Supernatural Sculptor Page 15

When seeking the will of God we must look deep-into our heart’s most sacred prayers and deep within the ageless pages of scripture.  While doing this we must expect to gain a glimpse into the mind of Christ.  The following scripture tells us that this is indeed possible:   

“For who has known the mind of the Lord that He may instruct him?”
 But we have the mind of Christ.”
I Corinthians 2:16

 This scripture asks a rhetorical question and then purposely answers it.  The incredible answer tells us that we have access to the mind of Christ.  How you may ask!   Historic pages of scripture prophesy, document, quote, whisper with insight and eternally echo knowledge of Jesus Christ.  The Bible insightfully links prophecy and knowledge of Christ over the course of thousands of years and with unspoken honor we must simply open the book and read.  We have graciously been given the opportunity to hold the Living Word in our own hands and within it, find the mind of Christ and therefore the will of God.  The Bible can and will speak to us directly if our hearts and minds are close to its pages and its Divine author.  To gain passage to the mind of Christ we must be intentional and studious - willing to acknowledge the truth of God’s word, patiently watch as seemingly ironic things occur in our lives and with the intuitive weavings of The Word of Truth and circumstance- see things as God means them instead of how the world would process them. 

The story of Joseph, found in Genesis chapters 37-50 is a breath-taking example of this.   The ultimate purpose for Joseph’s life is revealed with his profound words…. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done…”  Genesis 50:20.  This is a prime example of looking deep into circumstance, even those heart-breaking ones, and finding God’s purpose. 

God is a supernatural Sculptor of circumstance and in times when we see no good in where we find ourselves in life….it is then that we must look beyond our current situation and ask the question “What good can come of this?”  Truly we should ask:   “What is the hand of God blessing me with through this challenging circumstance?”  Our human hearts struggle through these tough times…but great spiritual maturity takes place when we have the strength to ask these questions and, with trust in God, wait as He reveals the answer-just as Joseph did!

The Spiritual Lesson: 

 This world's path is one of good versus evil. In this sinful world there will be times when evil appears to be winning....however, those who are spiritually discerning understand that God's lessons and His blessings can be found in all circumstances.  At times, our hearts will be will be bruised and barely beating inside our physical body and it will be then that we choose to kneel …..or not!  With wounded hearts and weary minds we must come to the Throne of our Creator, God and bow to the fact that we are not in control-He is;  We must acknowledge that there is a purpose to everything-and that it may not be our purposes that prevail;  and finally:  we must accept that we may not always understand God's purposes- Scripture says: 

“As the heavens are higher than the earth
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
it will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it”
Isaiah 55: 9-11

In our circumstances we must trust God as He sculpts our lives and sets new paths for us to travel down.  We, of course, plan out our days and our lives one way… but inevitably our best-laid plans twist before us and our hearts burn with frustration as to why!  Sometimes our goals become thwarted, our plans become detoured, our health becomes a battle, our friendships become uncomfortable, death knocks at our door, love seems absent;  our marriage become our greatest challenge.  Soon our zest for life falters and causes us to sit in stillness as we finally have come to the end ourselves, our options; our abilities.  This is good….for it is then that must acknowledge the truth of scripture and trust God’s plan....and will for our lives.

Look for it:

This is exactly what is meant when we say “look with spiritual eyes into the realm of the unseen”.  We only know and understand the here-and-now….but God see’s what we don’t see and He knows what we don’t know.  Can you see why trust in God’s will is so crucial?  We cannot trust this sinful world and it's elements but we can surrender to God's will and trust that He cares for us in ways that we do not understand. 

 Isaiah 30:18 says
"The Lord longs to be gracious to you.
He rises to show you compassion.
The Lord is a god of justice. 
Blessed are those who wait on Him."
(This is the God I want carving out my future.)

When our lives feel out of control we best admit that God is in control and submit to His plan…His will.  Surrender is the term us Christian’s use, but a quick and easily-understood directive is “let go and let God”.  During these times we need to draw close to the Living God through prayer.  Scripture says “Draw close to God and He will draw close to you” (James 4:8).  It’s verbal, it’s mental, it’s spiritual……it is a simple and honest prayer “Lord, I need you”.  Pour out your feelings.  Pour out your needs.  At the same time thank God for where you find yourself -this is part of surrendering to His will.  Our God is a gracious god…slow to anger and abounding in love (Psalm 103:8).   Never will He leave us….never will he forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).  He is a supernatural sculptor and when all is said and done—surely we will be a spiritual work of art!     

Song Recommendation
Bring the Rain
By:  MercyMe

Click link below to listen to Bring the Rain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8HgAVenbUU