Treasures of Darkness

I have been listening to friends and aquaintances share about how they are discouraged this summer. About trials they are facing. Things like the sudden death of a young mom to my daughter's classmate; the sudden death of a dear friend's daughter and the upcoming anniversary of that death; marriage struggles; financial concerns; not knowing what the future holds for a family who yearns to adopt; dealing with past abuse; dealing with "empty nest syndrome"....the list goes on and on.....
I listen. I pray. I try to encourage. And all the while I am also able to relate because 2 of the above mentioned things are things I am personally dealing with as well. ~sigh~

Where is God in this?

I started reading Scriptures outlined in "The Soul Care Bible" relating to discouragement. Then I started meditating on those words. Here is what God showed me:

Discouragement is NOT the same as clinical depression. Depression is actually a medical diagnoses: "long term depression is often the result of unacknowledged anger turned inward upon oneself' (John R. Cherydleur, Soul Care Bible, pg 266)

Discouragement is usually from a conscious awareness of our lack of ability to overcome a difficult situation/trial. Our faith is often tested. Sometimes the situations/trials were beyond our control....sometimes it is the result of bad choices or sin. I believe the hardest ones to deal with are the things that happened that are beyond our control. At least that is how it is in my personal life.

And God is the God of the unexpected.
He sees things before we do!
He is all-knowing!
He often chooses to use our "trials" to shape us: to shape our personal and spiritual lives. For our own good. Romans 8: 28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Main Causes of Discouragment:

1. Lack of confidence in God
2. Lack of confidence in ourselves.
3. Lack of direction for our future.

Personally, #1 is one that I have struggled with. Often. It is usually due to a lack of intimacy with the Father and/or not spending enough time in His Word.

Joshua 1: 9 says "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." And in the verse before that, God tells Joshua that overcoming discouragement is found by having an intimate relationship with Him (God). We need to be spending time in the Scriptures. Meditating on His Words to us. The promise is that we will have great success. (this does not mean financial success...this means SPIRITUAL!)

We need to have confidence in our future and in the plans He has for us, too.
All summer long, I have been poring over certain verses that have ministered to me over the years. And it is no coincidence that some of my devotional readings or Scriptures that my friend has sent me, or words to a song I listen to, all involve some of these very Scriptures! It is totally a God-thing.
He pursues us, friends!
He wants us to find "treasures in the darkness". I recently read the following verse and I had never really noticed it before....in fact, it will probably be a whole other posting one day soon! The verse is Isaiah 45:3

"I will give you the treasure of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel."

Wow.....there are treasures in our dark spots....so..to me this means that there is some kind of good from our darkness. From our trials. And it is so we will KNOW that He knows us. He calls us by our name! That is pretty intimate!

Other Scriptures that can help us to know the unlimited power of God and can help us overcome discouragment:

Jeremiah 29:11 (my fave!) "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 33:3 " Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know."

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Philippians 4:13,19 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me......and my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

And this passage which has been in my face all summer long so I am guessing God wants me to really get ahold of this!

Habakkuk 3:18 & 19 "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like a deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills."


So...what's the answer to overcoming discouragement?

Get the focus off our selves!
Focus on the unlimited power of God!!
In the midst of tough situations/trials/problems, His Grace is all sufficient.
Read the Word. Trust His Promises.

I know it's tough....it is for me, anyways...but....I continue to draw closer to Him, and to seek Him with all my heart and all my soul and all my mind. And when Satan tries to send discouragement my way, which so often happens, (come on be real....you know it happens!) I am trying to learn to find "the treasures in the darkness" and to really know in my heart that He loves me with an everlasting Love.

I challenge you to find the treasures in your dark areas.......