‘Even if’ is a difficult situation for all of us. It is that
place where we have hopes for one thing, but we have to decide how we will move
forward in the event that the one thing does not turn out as we had hoped or maybe
even the one thing we feared actually comes to pass. What will we do ‘even if?’
But bigger than that, is what will God do? What will He do
if you are not healed? What will He do if the job you had loved is lost or the
one you hoped for doesn’t come to pass? What will He do if one of your children
takes a path away from God? What will He do if your spouse leaves you? What
will he do when all that you found comfortable is turned upside down? These are
hard questions, but the answer is found for all of them in knowing who our God
is and the commitment He has made to us.
Here are the words of “Even If,” written by Tony Wood and
Scott Krippayne, that helped worshipfully to bring the concerns of my heart
face to face with the faithfulness of my God (punctuation added to put it in
paragraph form and probably not as they would).
“Sometimes all we have to hold on to is what we know is true
of who You are. So when the heartache hits like a hurricane that could never change
who You are, and we trust in who You are. Even if the healing doesn't come, and
life falls apart, and dreams are still undone, You are God, You are good,
forever faithful One. Even if the healing, even if the healing doesn't come.”
"Lord we know your ways are not our ways , so we set our faith
in who You are. Even though You reign high above us, You tenderly love us. We know your heart, and we rest in who
You are. You're still the Great and Mighty One; we trust You always. You're working all things for our good, we'll sing your praise. You
are God and we will bless You as
the Good and Faithful One. You are God
and we will bless You, even if the
healing doesn't come, even if the
healing doesn't come."
I can’t think
of one of the problem questions mentioned above or any others than cannot be substituted
in for the word ‘healing.’ The answer for all of them is that our God is indeed
the Good and Faithful One, and our response is to bow before Him in worship, to
bless His name, and to trust Him to do His good purpose in our lives. This is
what a dependent heart does. Consider the words of the apostle Paul in 2
Corinthians:
“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for
this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the
flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He
has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in
weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so
that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with
weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with
difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2
Corinthians 12:7–10, NASB95)
Today in “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young (9/6)
Do everything in dependence on Me. The desire to act
independently—apart from Me—springs from the root of pride. Self-sufficiency is
subtle, insinuating its way into your thoughts and actions without your
realizing it. But apart from Me, you can do nothing: that is, nothing of
eternal value. My deepest desire for you is that you learn to depend on Me in
every situation. I move heaven and earth to accomplish this purpose, but you
must collaborate with Me in this training. Teaching you would be simple if I negated
your free will or overwhelmed you with My Power. However, I love you too much
to withdraw the godlike privilege I bestowed on you as My image-bearer. Use
your freedom wisely, by relying on Me constantly. Thus you enjoy My Presence
and My Peace.
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me
and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John
15:5, NASB95)
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”
(Ephesians 6:10, NASB95)
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to
Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of
the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping
thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image
of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:26–27,
NASB95)
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