“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5, NKJV).
The other day, my son showed me a meme depicting the year 2020. It was a picture of a man holding out his hands expressively, exclaiming, “Wait… there’s more!”
Right? There seems to be no end to the overwhelmingly bad news coming through our tv screens right now. Why?
Why is God allowing such horrible things to happen?
That is exactly the same question that oppressed the minds of Jesus’ disciples when He was crucified. It seemed unthinkable to them that God would let their Master be murdered. As they watched the agonizing horror unfold, a sword pierced their hearts. Why God? Why???
We all know the end of the story. The Father was orchestrating those events with an unspeakably wonderful plan. The cruelest, darkest death was the dawn of humanity’s redemption.
The same principle applies now too. No, God did not mandate the creation of COVID; nor the slaying of innocents; nor massive destruction, division, and rage… just like He did not move Judas to betray Jesus, nor the religious and political leaders to slay Him.
He did not mandate, initiate, or fuel those events. But He was completely in charge as they unfolded. Jesus knew this in the very depths of His heart when He said to Pilate, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11, NKJV). Just as then, the Father is completely sovereign over all that has been taking place. And just like then, He has something breathtaking planned.
To shed some light on this, I’d like to share this quote I ran across the other day. Eyewitnesses of the Welsh Revival wrote these words around the year 1904:
“It is ever the darkest hour before the dawn.
The nation always seems to be given over
to the Evil One before the
coming of the Son of Man.
The decay of religious faith,
the deadness of the churches,
the atheism of the well-to-do,
the brutality of the masses, all these,
when at their worst,
herald the approach of the revival.
Things seem to get too bad to last.
The reign of evil becomes intolerable.
Then the soul of the nation awakes.”
Let your heart be comforted today. Recent painful events are not a heavenly “oops!” The enemy has not gained any strength, nor come up with a better strategy, nor caught God taking a nap. He remains, as ever, our utterly defeated foe. On Heaven’s undefeatable chessboard, the devil’s every move plays right into the Father’s plans for history.
God knows the end of the story. It’s this: He always wins. The soul of the nation is about to awake. And it’s going to be amazing.
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Have you experienced a time in your life personally when it was darkest before the dawn?
Feeding On Jesus 
I think if we’re honest, we all have. It is sometimes hard to see the divine hand guiding a critical situation when that situation has us so occupied. But afterwards, we can look back and realize that we were never alone.
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Ain’t that the truth, Mike! Hindsight is so much easier than sight in the midst of it! And you are right, honesty with ourselves and with everyone else is SO vital! Really appreciate your visit 🙂
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I would say I have experienced some rough times raising my child and his battle with alcohol……he is sober today and has been for many years. There were dark nights, but GOD revealed to me that “HE could take better care of him then I could!” So I learned to let go and trust……as we should do now. YES, GOD has not left us, nor has HE forsaken us. HE knows the full story…….and in the end HE is victorious!!!
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Thank you so much, Maxine, for sharing from the vulnerable parts of your journey, that is so strengthening for others. I am personally strengthened, reading your testimony, as I have been in the midst of learning this same truth at a deep level about my boy — that God can and will carry his destiny SO much better than I! He was actually just saying to me today, “I am committed to him for life.” So this is wonderful, uplifting confirmation of that. Thank you ❤
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YES! Oh how wonderful and a blessing! We must continue to pray for our sons, that they will stay in the TRUTH and live it out in their lives. I know that GOD hears the prayers of faithful Moms everywhere! Stay strong and persevere in all things Jennifer!!
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He sure does, my dear sister! Hears, loves, and answers them so faithfully! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Thanks for the post! Trying to be more faithful to follow the Truth I read in the scripture and hear from the Spirit who is come to guide us into all the Truth. I find the father of lies still telling them to any who will pay attention. I want to be too busy listening to Jesus to hear the other noise.
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I really like how you put that, Jon. Too busy listening to Him to hear any of the rest of it. That’s beautiful wisdom right there!
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Thanks for the post! The battle is raging. The smoke-screen of DECEPTION clouds the real TRUTH. Who is the author of all DECEPTION. It is certainly not God. Yet our God has an eternal KINGDOM and the Gates of hell will not prevail against His Beloved purchased by His Blood on the Cross. Listen as the dear brother above has written……Listen to God the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of Truth. Only then can we all journey onwards and STAND unshakeable in 2020.
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Amen! We thank You Jesus that You are the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life! Your Spirit leads us into all truth!
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Reblogged this on Why I Follow Jesus.
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I so appreciate that, Craig! 😀
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We have done this to ourselves. God is simply giving us the chance to redeem ourselves…may we not continue to disappoint.
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I pray for His redemption too!
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