Yes, the Lord in us is full of might and power;
yet He will
not intrude upon our will and overwhelm us.
Sometimes we wish He would do so.
But that is not His way.
He desires us to cooperate with His Spirit.
When we
come to Him and present ourselves as instruments to be used, He begins to mold
us and shape us into suitable vessels. If we see this process as beginning and
ending, in a one-time act of consecration, or a single moment of surrender, or a
solitary life-changing event, then we underestimate just how thorough and
far-reaching this process will be.
It spans many years and is marked with many
mountains and valleys, gardens and deserts.
The one so committed may now expect
to encounter many seasons of light and darkness, sunshine and rain, heat and
cold, sweetness and bitterness. At the outset one may think he will be happy,
light, and carefree now that he has tasted some of the Lord's power.
He will
rejoice for that season, and then the sun will set and the dark night of the
soul will begin. All that was gained now seems to have been lost. The former sweetness
is nowhere to be found. Everything is dreary and burdensome.
When this season
is accomplished, the sun rises again and the Christian rediscovers the joy of
his salvation. The vows are renewed and the spirit begins to soar. Prayer and
praise now pour forth like water. Everything is effortless and spontaneous.
But
then, strangely enough, that season passes and the dark night sets in once
again.
Why is this?
The Lord is teaching us to live apart from our
circumstances.
Eventually we will learn how to live above our environment and
walk by faith, not by sight.
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