Yay for my Shepherd

I love the analogy of Jesus as our good Shepherd who is leading us, His sheep.

In dark valley seasons of our lives, we need a Shepherd who has gone before us – a Shepherd who floods our path with light & drives out the darkness.

I experienced one of those dark valley seasons this Summer when I went through a tough time of grief & disappointment.

The funny thing is, though, that it also became a season of deep joy because God restored the joy of my salvation in that time too!

When the Shepherd walks with us in those valley seasons, even valleys lights up because Jesus does not know anything else than being awesome – being light – being goodness personified.

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When I began to raise my eyes off the circumstances and up up up to Him during that tough season, this was what I wrote:

His eyes are like blazing fire. He is magnificent and I am proud to call Him my friend. He is my Helper, through it all.

The journey with Him is also a journey of suffering but with His comforting Spirit I gladly rejoice in the midst of it.

I know that suffering produces endurance, endurance, character, and character HOPE. I need hope desperately because hope deferred makes the heart sick.

I hope in Jesus. There is no other name.

When we let Him, these times of deep pain can become a time where we grow in our salvation. Gems of wisdom & insight can be found in the valley – treasures that will make the words of our lips a blessing despite the circumstances we face.

What we are most conscious of WILL be released.

So if we become more conscious of Jesus and those pearls of wisdom He gives us through the season, we will leak Jesus in the valleys too.

We can surely bear good fruit in every season when we know where to find comfort, & on whom to gaze upon.

It’s our choice. Do we dwell on darkness or do we actively pursue to lift our eyes to the beautiful faithfulness of Jesus in every season?

“…but I (God) will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness.” (Psalm 89:33 ESV)

“ALL THE PATHS of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.” (Psalm 25:10 ESV)

Let our dark valley seasons become testimonies about God’s faithfulness. Let those seasons release what overshadows us – Christ.

I’m so glad disappointments are not permanent. In deep pain it is a comfort to know that there is only 24 hours in a day.

Time on this earth is truly short & it is a theme that is confirmed again & again in Scripture – here is one of them:

“Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” (Psalm 144,4 ESV)

I think this theme of life being short is repeated because we often need to be reminded about exactly that! Life is short. That’s a comforting fact in the midst of pain.

Pain gives us a longing after heaven. An eternity in the presence of God where there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more tears, no more pain. What a promise!

The gospel of Mark speaks greatly into the place of suffering in the life of a believer. Mark is writing to an audience, the early Christian church, who was facing enormous persecution. Jesus is their example who gives them great hope to keep persevering through it all.

Mark assured the original hearers that suffering is part of following Christ. I like Mark’s honesty ‘cause even though it sounds discouraging, it IS encouraging at the same time.

Suffering is part of God’s plan for the final victory for the kingdom of God. Through suffering Christlikeness can be formed in us that cannot be formed on the mountaintops.

“Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8,18 ESV)

The disciples could be partakers in the victory if they kept following Jesus. It speaks about this hope of glory in Mark 13,24 ESV:

“But in those days after that tribulation…they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”

Jesus was constantly preparing his disciples for the sufferings they had to face & for His own suffering unto death too.

The suffering was not without meaning. God used the suffering for the purpose of redeeming His beloved people from captivity to sin & reverse it with freedom in Him – life to the fullest.

Jesus is still in the business of doing just that with the pain we go through!

Jesus’ times of suffering was not wasted. Even His death was not wasted. Death could not hold Him.

Surely He can redeem & resurrect our darkness too.

“If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” (Psalm 139,11-12 ESV)

Darkness is not dark to God. Fantastic!

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples, BUT THE LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you.” (Isaiah 60,1-2 ESV)

You might feel the darkness in your own soul or your circumstance or simply feel the world’s darkness around you. But God will rise upon you.

This too shall pass! For Him darkness and light are alike.

What we taste and see of God on this earth is just a shadow of what is to come!! We can be in expectancy in our darkest seasons. Yay!

Jesus is madly in love with you. He is inviting you to welcome Him, the Shepherd, into your darkness so He can lead you through it with His light. He’s got you.

I pray you will release your pain at the cross. It’s open 24/7.

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