Daily Devotional: Closer to God Every Day

Day 69: The Courage to Believe

"Jesus went on to say, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.'" (John 16:16)

Today, I dare you to say to your hurt and your fear: "I will not be afraid of you for to be afraid is to forget the victor and fierce warrior, my God, who goes before me."

I don't know what you're going through today. The hurt could be deep: strange: foreign. You could feel as if your heart were being pummeled to a pulp leaving you emotionally numb yet somehow terribly grief-stricken all at the same time.

Or maybe you're not quite there. Maybe instead of a hurricane, you're experiencing more of an overcast sky. Drops fall and a few storms whirl up, but the heaviness you're feeling is more routine: familiar: understandable.

But no matter what you're feeling, know that no matter how strange and foreign and unfair the pain feels in your life, it was never strange or foreign or even--dare I say---unfair to our God.  In Psalm 56:8, God speaks a powerful truth through David amidst his sorrow. And the same truth He speaks to David applies to all of His children. To you and to me. David recognizes to God, "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book."

The hurt you're feeling that seems to be the author of your life or the major disruptor in your vision for purpose is not unseen by our God. Not only does He see it, but He remembers it. And if our tears are each "recorded" in His "book",  does that not imply tremendous purpose in the pain we undergo? Books are our stories! And if we know anything about authors, we understand that every item written in a book serves a purpose that is never to be overlooked. So if the author of our lives is recording our tears into His book, does that not mean your tears hold tremendous purpose in the story of your life? That they're strategically placed to keep the plot moving and to make the main character stronger?

During whatever hurt you're currently feeling, dare to lean into the promises of Christ. Jesus was telling His disciples that in a little while they wouldn't see Him (meaning He would be soon put to death) but that shortly after, they would see Him again (as in He would rise on the third day). And although this message pertained specifically to His death and resurrection, how true does it also pertain to the understanding of the hurt you are currently experiencing?

Jesus promises that there may be times you sense as if God is not there, yet always, always, you see Him again. Jesus promises this. But notice what we are talking about here. You may not sense He is there, but sensing is not the same as reality. For our senses can often deceive us. Fortunately, He understands we don't always sense correctly. We sometimes believe He is absent when He is not. Thankfully, when we dare to seek Him again, He promises His presence is readily available to be received by us, His beloved children whenever we seek His face.

That is why we are told with such authority to, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6). 

The God of the universe, who is tremendously stronger and greater than any hurt you are currently experiencing, commands us to be strong and courageous amidst our hurt. Why? Because He is the author of our story, and He knows that the ending is more victorious than we could ever comprehend. Why not choose to courageously continue stepping in your life holding onto that hope? Dare to be courageous today. Be courageous in relentless pursuit of His promise. Be courageous to believe you will see Him again amidst the pain.