darkness Archives - Page 3 of 5 - Daily Thoughts about God

“Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did — with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength…” 2 Kings 23:25a

Have you ever met someone that amazed you?

Josiah was someone who has amazed me. He lived in dark days. His evil father was assassinated, so Josiah was made king when idolatry was prominent throughout the land. He didn’t have a godly example to follow, and the world around him was facing judgment. He relied on God to direct him.

During his reign, Josiah got rid of idols. He implemented a Passover Celebration to honor God. He was a whole-hearted follower of God who made a difference.

We all have a choice at how we view life. Focusing on all that is going wrong in our world can be defeating. Sometimes in the darkness, it can be difficult to see what God is doing. Things can look bleak with the pandemic and the disunity currently existing throughout our world.

When we feel disheartened, do we look inward or upward? We can choose to be like Josiah, who decided to turn to the Lord. If we truly believe in the Lord with all of our heart and all of our soul and all of our strength, then we can choose to change our focus from the day’s troubles and instead remember the blessings. God is doing a work in these dark times, and he is looking for men and women who will follow him.

Lord God, help me to trust in you with all of my heart, soul, and strength. When the world around seems full of evil, help me to remember the blessings that you have given. Amen.

By Jan Stewart
Used by Permission

In a very dark moment in my life a friend said, “Do not doubt in the darkness what you have come to know in the light.” At the invitation of a ministry leader whom we loved and respected, our family moved across Canada to take on the “perfect roles” for both my wife and me. Within eight months the roles and the leader changed. On top of this, two of our four children were having significant struggles adjusting to the move. I was deeply perplexed and discouraged. Nothing was going the way we had planned.

The backdrop of Jeremiah 29 is the nation of Israel going through a long season of darkness in which they had many reasons to doubt. They were in Babylonian captivity because of their disobedience and rebellion. God gives them His promise that He is with them and has a plan — a good plan for their well-being that involves a promise of a good future.

In my family’s dark season, we began to focus on the clarity of God’s call. Our decision to move was not based on the circumstances but on a deep soul searching after God’s direction. God made it very clear this move was His clear direction and plan. Like the Israelites, we had to trust. It was hard but we lifted our heads and affirmed that what God had shown us in the light would guide us during this dark time. We passed through the darkness into hope, not because the circumstances changed quickly ? they didn’t ? but because our confidence in the midst of disappointment did.

God I confess that I have doubted you. At times I do not like what is happening around me and I want to quite, give up, and make the pain stop. But by faith I’m going to trust that you have a good plan and you have a future for me that fits into your plan. I will keep seeking and trusting you. I know you are good and you love me. Amen.

By Mike Woodard
Used by permission
www.thelife.com/dailydevotions

Would you like to accept Jesus into your life today and give your burdens to him and have a relationship with Him? It doesn’t mean that life will be easy but it does mean you have Jesus walking by your side. It starts with a simple heart felt prayer:

Lord, thank You for dying so we can be set free from all of guilt and sin — no matter how big or small. Your blood has erased all of our sin. Thank You so much! Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen

It is the first step. Keep learning more….