The Cloud Began to Lift...

I received a disparaging email late last night and went to bed with a heavy heart due to the contents of the note.  It was written in response to an email that I had sent to a relative earlier in the day.  What weighed heavy on my heart was that much of the personal pain, stress and the constant drain of resources and energy that I had been sharing about with this individual over the last few months concerning my situation with my wife, was either misunderstood, not taken into consideration or pushed aside as if it had no real value.  I had retired for the evening with a cry to God as I unfolded to Him the myriad of frustrations that I felt, especially since it wasn't the first time, or the only individual who has responded to my current state of affairs in like manner.  I had a fitful night’s sleep and awoke under a cloud of concern and anxiety. 

I immediately began to pray and quickly got the coffee maker going so that I could make the most of my private time in the Word with my heavenly Father before the start of the day’s activities.  When I sat down at my desk and began to arrange my Bibles and note book, my eyes fell upon the Bible on the top of the stack that was opened up to Hebrews chapter ten.  As I read from it, many verses began to come to light including a portion that was actually quoted by Jesus from Psalm 40:6 where He said “I have come… I have come to do what you want, my God”  (Hebrews 10:7 God’s Word ©)  With that, I leaned back in my chair and called out to God in agreement with the verse and stated, “What do you want me to do Lord?”

Following a few moments of silent prayer, I continued bouncing around the chapter and received the directions to not “cast away your confidence which has a great reward” (Hebrews 10:35 NKJV).  Then came the clincher in verses 22-23 were the writer compels us to “continue to come to Him with a sincere heart and strong faith.  We must continue to hold firmly to our declaration of faith. (for) The One who made the promise is faithful.”  (God’s Word ©)  It was at that point that the words from that powerful hymn written in 1923 by Thomas O. Chisholm out of a heart of thanksgiving based on his experiences with God and Bible truth, began to flow from my lips:

“Great is They Faithfulness, O God my Father;

 There is no shadow of turning with Thee,

 Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not,

 As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

 Refrain:

 Great is Thy faithfulness!

 Great is Thy faithfulness!

 Morning by morning new mercies I see

 All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

 Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

 Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

 Sun, moon and stars in their courses above;

 Join with all nature in manifold witness,

 To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

 (Refrain)

 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

 Thine own great presence to cheer and to guide;

 Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow

 Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.” *

 (Refrain)

As I openly sang the song aloud, I noticed that the cloud of concern, frustration and anxiety began to fade away.  It was as though the sun had broken through the early morning fog that was present outside my window.  But it wasn’t a natural fog or the golden ball glowing in the sky. It was the Son of Righteousness rising up from within, with healing in His wings! (See Malachi 4:2)  As the pressure dissipated it was replaced with a calming and joyful peace.  Then my eyes glanced down to the next verse and I read: “We must continue to encourage each other to show love and to do good things.”  (Hebrews 10:24 God’s Word ©)

In that instant I realized that unless one has gone through the same heart wrenching experience as I have been living through, that they cannot understand and even be able to respond in the way I was wrongly expecting them to respond.  My response therefore, was to be one of encouragement and love with the example of doing the right thing toward them.  Maybe most people don’t understand the intricacies of my journey, but you know what… God does and therefore I am never alone.  I am never lost, and I am never without the helping hand of compassion and love of the Lord for:

“Great is Thy faithfulness!

 Great is Thy faithfulness!

 Morning by morning new mercies I see

 All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

 Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!”

Have a wonderful weekend as you meditate on and experience His faithfulness toward you.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”

*  Great Is Thy Faithfulness © 1923 Hope Publishing Company