Whispers From The Secret Place

A Subtle Secret

"You can achieve the victorious life only as you learn to live in deep dependence upon Me. People usually equate victory with success and success with the absence of falling, stumbling, or making mistakes. Yet those who are successful in their own strength tend to go their own way, forgetting about me.

Never forget it is through problems and failure, weakness and neediness, that you learn to rely completely upon Me!

True dependence is not simply asking Me to bless what you've decided to do-it is coming to me with an open mind and heart, inviting Me to plant My desires within you.

I often will infuse you with a dream that is far beyond your reach. To enjoy watching you struggle and slip and fall? Not all. Never. As you realize that, in yourself, you cannot achieve the goal I set before you, your journey of profound reliance upon Me begins.

This is not a path of continual success but of multiple failures. Each failure, however, is followed by a growth spurt, nourished by your increased reliance upon Me."

"We live by faith, not by sight" 2 Corinthians 5:7.

 

Dealing With Constant Need

"Is constant awareness of my need a negative and faithless focus point?"

"My child, you need Me every moment. Your awareness of your constant need for Me is your greatest strength. Your neediness, properly handled, is a vital link to My Presence.

However, there are pitfalls that you must be on guard against: self-pity, self-preoccupation, giving up. Your inadequacy presents you with a continual choice - dependence on Me, or despair. The emptiness you feel within will be filled either with problems or with My Presence.

Make Me central in your conciousness by praying continually. Simple, short prayers. Flowing out of the present moment. Use My name liberally to remind you of My Presence. Keep on asking and you will receive, so that your gladness may be full and complete.

"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live" 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Divine Preparation

"Father, I like things to be logical and fair. I operate my life so much on this basis. I tend to believe that if I do what is right, good will come to me; and if I do what is wrong, bad things will happen to me. Right brings rewards and wrong brings consequences. Yet is this completely true? Is this how You operate in my circumstances?"

"My son, that is a logical and fair axiom of life, but there's one problem: it isn't ALWAYS true. No doubt you have had the unhappy and unfortunate experience of doing what is right yet suffering for it. And you have also done what is wrong on a few occasions without being punished. The latter is easy to handle, but the former is a tough pill to swallow.

I never hide painful realities from you. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with Me. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ [My Son] also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.

In other words, if you do wrong and then suffer the consequences, even though you patiently endure the punishment, nobody applauds. But--fix this clearly in your mind, My son--when you do what is right and suffer for it with grace and patience, I applaud!!

Whenever you feel that I may be taking things away, perhaps I am just trying to make room in your life for better things that I delight to to give?!"

I Know Your Limits

"But You, O Lord, are a God  merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth" [Psalm 86:15]

"My weary child, I understand your limits. I realize your struggles and I know how much pressure you can take. I know perfectly what measures of grace and mercy and strength you will require. I know how you were put together even before you entered your mother's womb.

Frankly, My expectations are not nearly as unreaslistic as yours. When you don't live up to the agenda you have set, you feel like I will dump a truckload of judgment upon you. But that will never happen. Do not fear my allowance of adversity into your life. Trust me. Know that I am in perfact control. Hope in Me. You will never be ashamed."

Don't Run

Father, I am at a critical crossroads in my life, asking the question, "What's next? Why isn't more happening as I seek to connect with Your will for my next?" What's Plan B?

"My dear child, resist the temptation to think and believe that My plans and purposes are going to be smooth and lined with lace. Frustration will become inevitable if you assume that you perfectly understand Me and all of My ways. You think you know what I should be doing and when I don't handle things the way you expect, you want to give up. There is a very important lesson here for you: you get yourself into all kinds of trouble when you assume I must think and feel as you do. 

Don't buy into lies. Trials of life will chip away at you, leaving you exhausted, confused, and vulnerable. You will be prompted to resign yourself to the fact that things simply are the way they are and there is no hope they will ever be any different. Feeling hopeless, you will either run, taking things into your owns hands, or give up instead of waiting on Me to act.

I realize persevering isn't easy. I know you want to run and retaliate in anger. I know giving up seems like a valid answer. I understand the need of your humanness to try to control and maintain what you cannot control or maintain. Resist the urge. Lean toward Me instead of panicking. Try trusting Me instead of running away.

Despite what your circumstances may be telling you, I am for you! I am there! And I am working things out for your good. All things."

What Drives Despair?

'Hello Father! I start this day with angst in my heart. I'm facing a desperate situation and see no solution. I honestly don't know how I'll make it. Nothing appears to be guaranteed and I feel very anxious--even though I know with my mind that You care. I need answers Father! I feel like I am suffocating beneath this very heavy and ominous load.'

"My dear, desperate child, wait on My timing. There are appointed times for all things. It is not My pleasure to watch you suffer. If only you could see the times I weep for you! I weep for your frightened, trembling heart. Understand that what you face is truly a defining season for My will in your life. 

Therefore you must be still and wait. 

Your frustration will only deepen the more you insist on understanding everything that is happening to you. Resist the temptation to imagine worst case scenarios. You too easily form judgments about people and circumstances. You are frustrated because "your plan" is not coming to pass. 

Seek Me, not plans. Remember that I order your steps. This means that wherever you find yourself, doing whatever you are doing, your life is being fashioned after My will.  

You may be further frustrated because I am not ordering your current steps as in times past and you are therefore confused as to the scope of My grace?! There are different steps for today and there are different purposes. Yet I Am God. I change not! I order that which you may never understand. 

Beware of selfish pride. Such can drive your restlessness. Be anxious for nothing!  I will sustain you. 

Remember that it is never your circumstances that drive you to despair; it is a lack of faith that pushes the human heart to despair."

Where Disappointment Comes From

'Heavenly Father, sometimes I am greatly disappointed when promises from Your Word go unfulfilled. When I claim the scripture promise, I am full of hope and expectation. But when I don't receive the promise, I feel like You just pulled the "bait and switch" on me?!'

"My dearest child, I order each of your steps according to My purposes for you. Please understand that I do nothing to intentionally cause you pain or disappointment. It is never My design to frustrate you or cause you to become bitter or angry. Disappointment is really the result of your reaction to your circumstances. Each time you experience the frustration of disappointment, you need to stop and ask 'where or what was I placing my expectations on?' 

Disappointment comes from your focus point. Disappointment is a symptom that indicates your lack of trust in Me. Remember that it is faith that pleases Me and when you purpose to please Me, I set You free from the tyranny of your circumstances. 

My goal is to get you to the place where you stop questioning Me and/or all that happens to you. You must trust Me completely but this cannot happen if you insist on trying understand everything that is happening to you.

Our Safety Net

“I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny” [Psalm 73:23-24 NLT].

‘Loving Father, why do I feel alone as things seem to get worse the more I pray?’

“My child, know that I am with you....these 4 words are like a safety net, protecting you from falling into despair.  Because you are human, you will always have ups and downs in your life experience.  But the promise of My Presence limits how far down you can go. 

Sometimes you may feel as if you are in a free fall, when people or things you have counted on let you down.  Yet as soon as you remember that I AM WITH YOU, your perspective changes radically.  Instead of bemoaning your circumstances, you can look to ME for help.  Know that not only am I with you, I am holding you by your right hand.  I guide you with My Counsel, and afterward I will take you to Glory. 

This is exactly the perspective you need: the reassurance of My Presence, and the glorious hope of heaven.”

Are You Wearing Thin?

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” [Matthew 11:28 New Living Translation]

 “Father, my circumstances make me feel so weary! How can I truly know that You will come through for me? Where do I find real stamina of soul?”

 “My precious, cherished child, bring me your weakness, and receive My peace.  Accept yourself and your circumstances just as they are, remembering that I am sovereign over everything.  Do not wear yourself out with analyzing and planning.  Instead, let thankfulness and trust be your guide through this day; they will keep you close to Me.  As you live in the radiance of My Presence, My Peace shines upon you. You will cease to notice how weak or strong you feel, because you will be focusing on Me. The best way to get through this day is step by step with Me.  Continue this intimate journey, trusting that the path you are following is headed for heaven.”

Problem Solving 101

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. John 14:1

“Father, with all of the pressures and circumstances of my often hurried life, how do I keep my heart from becoming “troubled” ?”

“My precious child, anything essential is invisible to the eyes. You see clearly only with the heart. You live in a world that has sold bewilderment and has mortgaged cleverness. You convince yourself that you will figure it out--with explanations or facts, even if you have to make them up.  Or, you will tough it out. Which is convenient, because you live in a world that rewards toughness.

Yet your resiliency does not come from adding more to the armor you wear meant to keep life from hurting you. If you believe that in order for life to be good, you have to avoid pain, the danger is that you will become so good at not feeling pain that you will learn not to feel anything-not joy, not love, not hope, not the awe of My presence. You can become emotionally anesthetized.

Fullness of life is not about protecting yourself from pain, but from letting (or allowing) more of My life in. No. It is not easy to give up your current measurements of success.

Nor is it easy to give up your sense of "control." It is dying to self. It is taking up the cross and bring to the cross everything in your life that is not of Me.

But, if you willingly do, you will find your identity, significance, passion, purpose-your life-in Me.

Learn to see with your heart My beloved. Never give in to fear. Know, that regardless of your circumstances, we are on the journey of life together. Once you learn to see with your heart you are no longer numbed by distraction or the addition of whatever it is that you feel you need for the life you believe you deserve.”