The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:5
Never. Never. Never can darkness blow out the Light of Christ.
What a dynamic and powerful Truth! We believe it. We sing it. We even declare it. But the weariness continues to haunt us all as we wait for the global holding pattern of Covid-19 to end. Darkness edges closer as we hear another day of anger and arguing in the nation over who is right and who is wrong. We worry that the flame will no longer be seen.
The prophet Habakkuk put forth his moaning and complaining to the Lord with language you may have heard or even used recently: Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. (Hab 1:3). The Lord gave a stout answer, as He always does: “Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Hab 1:5
In short, the Lord reminds us to KEEP EXPECTING AMAZING! From that first day in the garden when sin entered the world and on throughout the annals of history, darkness has continually sought to extinguish the Light. “But the word of the Lord remains forever; and that word is the Good News that was preached to you.” (1 Pet 1:25) God has always had a people who emerged from gloom to bring glory to His name, just as we will even on this day.
Courageous women choose hope, goodness, forgiveness, and faith daily, and sometimes even hourly. Arguments, disappointment, struggles, and hostilities chase us along the way to try to steal our joy, but the attempted robbery leaves us merely stunned and not defeated!
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Somewhere deep within us, the courage to keep believing that the best is yet to come continues to shout, “Let me out! I am still alive in you.” We must pray for grace to flow over us, for mercy to heal us, for the endurance to reach higher, work longer, and believe stronger. And we will receive it all because the Light always shines through.
Write down what it is you fear; what holds you back from believing Jesus has overcome the world; what darkness it is that robs courage from you. Hold that piece of paper in your hand tightly as you pray and then release it into the trash when you say “Amen.” There is great power in believing the light will never be extinguished; that Jesus is never defeated.
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PRAY TODAY: “My precious Lord, You know my innermost being – the fear that so easily besets me, the weariness that I battle, the aloneness that tries to swallow me, the darkness that nibbles at my pain. I ask for rivers of grace to cleanse; for waves of mercy to heal; for the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome; and the courage to keep expecting amazing from You. In this very moment, I banish the robbers of the soul from my life in Jesus name and I receive the gift of joy that is my strength. Amen.”
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
Feb 1st – LIVE with the SLOL Team as we talk about Courage and looking ahead to 2021
Feb 15th – She Loves Out Loud Reunion with our special guest Sheila Walsh – Carol Kent – Claire Culwell – Donna Gaines and more!