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Saturday, March 02, 2013

Finding Certainty in Uncertainty



"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

You, like myself, have probably found nothing is certain in this world.   The fact of uncertainty, in any type of situation, can make one feel nauseous and uneasy. 
 
I suppose there are some who can give an arrogant nod and ignore uncertainty for a little while … but not for long.   Yes they too will have to look at uncertainty in the face and become bewildered by all its complexities, complexities that make the thoughts and imaginations of the mind restless in the solitude of a quiet hour.
Looking only at the uncertainty for its uncertainty brings anxiety, depression, fear and doubt.  It is to live constantly in valley of death.  It overloads the circuits, causing all kinds of havoc in the soul and even in those who surround that soul.

Uncertainty cannot be treated with peppering doses of self-will or self-assurances. 

 “The wise are cautious and avoid danger, fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.” Proverbs 14:16

I have found self-confidence or self made assurances only leads to foolishness and turns off the power of God’s grace from working effectively in our life.  BUT there is something powerful and wonderful that happens when we humble ourselves and patiently live in God's grace and that grace girds us, directs our thought life, encourages us and builds us up in the uncertainty of life.

2 Corinthians 12:8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.


I never thought this before but in a strange way, uncertainty can be an ally or a fertilizer to our christian well being and understanding BUT for it to work for our benefit we must have faith in God- our faithful and gracious heavenly Father, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit).

"For without faith it is impossible to please Him for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6
  
In addition to having uncertainty being necessary in the Christian’s life,  I have also found insecurity in self is a benefit because of WHOM we have to turn to and trust in.  I have to unplug all the things "I think" I know of myself and look to my Creator who created me and knows me better then I know myself. It's not the assurance and confidence in myself but in God that enables and empowers me to live as a Christian in a unchristian world full of uncertainty.

Uncertainty brings forth the buds of faith that causes a tree to flower, not when it is just easy but in those early spring days where temperatures float just above freezing and the wind blows strong.  The conditional factor of the flowers surviving and bearing satisfying fruit will be if the tree turns to and trusts in God, it’s keeper, or not.

Standing in uncertainty in a task that God has ordained and has asked of you is like standing at the foot of a large mountain and looking at the entire mountain, hesitant to take a step and overwhelmed by all that has to be accomplished.  Instead of staring at the entire mountain of uncertainty we must proceed up the mountain one step at a time with God's willing unchanging, loving faithful help.

Uncertainty allows the rubber to meet the road.  It’s forces the mechanics of our ways of control to cease and allows the Spirit of God to have control seeing it’s not in our capabilities and our abilities’ but in God doing the work in us.   It’s where we start to realize the "constant" reality that we were made for the Spirit of God to drive us not for us to drive us.  That is what we were made for and that is why we belong to God not to ourselves.

“… Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ…” 1 Peter 4:11
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Mathew 16:25 “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20

“God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.  So God has given both his promise and his oath.  These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie.  Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.  This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.  It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.” Hebrews 6:17-19

Just look at the figures in the bible… did they not all face some kind of uncertainty in their life?  Look at Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, David, Esther, Job, Jeremiah, Daniel, John, Peter, Paul, Luke and even our Lord Jesus Christ who faced all the same testings that uncertainty brings.
 
Hebrews 4:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

Uncertainty brings about an understanding that God truly determines our footsteps and makes and prepares the way before us.   Uncertainty is the opportunity and place we can learn a lot about God then if we faced no uncertainty in life or ignored uncertainty all together.

David Wilkerson said, "When God calls us to any specific work, he has already made provision for everything we need to accomplish it."
“I will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way.  I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them.  Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16
We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9
Deuteronomy 31:8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  In those days when you pray, I will listen.  If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.   I will be found by you,"says the LORD.  Jeremiah 29:11-14 
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
 
Uncertainty and walking through the fire of uncertainty and seeing how God brings us out of the events of uncertainty - bringing about a great sense of gratitude and thankfulness towards God as we become abundantly aware how much he loves and cares for us.  In fact we are greatly humbled by the reality of this fact and sometimes brought to speechless in our thankfulness towards God.  Without these experiences of uncertainty we would probably not see all that God does in all those unnerving and sometimes intimidating situations.  We would not understand what it truly means to walk by faith.
God’s way is perfect.  All the LORD’S promises prove true.   He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.    For who is God except the LORD?  Who but our God is a solid rock?  God arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.  He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.  Psalm 18:30-33
Romans 8:29-31  “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
   
In uncertainty we learn:
1.     The certainty of God’s grace.
2.     The certainty that God is our strength.
3.   The certainty God doing a faithful work for us and in us.
4.     The certainty that God truly determines our footsteps.
5.     The certainty of how much God really loves us.

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