When I Don’t Understand Part 2

“But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you…”

Isaiah 43:1-2 NKJV

In Part 1 we reviewed the place called Stuck, identifying it as a plateau. Also, as a place of wandering and question – which may allude to confusion – where we’re left with thoughts and feelings of abandonment, essentially, up to hopelessness and hope deferred.

One main highlight from that exhortation was promise. When God has given us a promise we must stand firm and watch to see what He will do. We mustn’t lie idle or give ourselves over to despair even in the downpour of sorrow and spiritual claustrophobia. Equally, we don’t force God’s hand or the promise. We cannot finesse Him or manifest anything worth receiving outside of Holy Spirit and of Yeshua from whom all blessings are permitted to stream from Father. Instead, we press forward with Him believing that He has more for us. That action confirms that we agree with His promise: He is with us always.

Our adversaries relish in using God’s weaponries against God’s own.

Fear not! We’re neither the only ones nor the firsts to experience this. Unfortunately, our adversaries relish in using God’s weaponries against God’s own. Those weaponries contain many weapons of various measures, kinds, and types. However, one foundational weapon is to incite us to implode within our own walls. Such implosion is external (as we discussed, our brethren) and internal (we ourselves). Yet, remember the Anointed One, Yeshua, who being led to the slaughter as the Firstborn of many, who being stainless and spotless, who being perfect without any wrong, who being turned over by His own, who being betrayed by one who He selected as His disciple, how we honed in on the promise of Father.

In His (Yeshua’s) state he felt abandoned. The bellowing of His rejected soul broke the sound barriers of all levels of creation where He uttered: My God, My God, why have You forsaken me? Technically, for our sake, He was abandoned; He took on what was meant for us and the world…freely. All the while even in isolation from God’s presence, there is no place that can smother His presence.

The Places Beyond and Far Greater than Stuck

…in His presence…we are simply being restored to a placed called Wholeness.

Our fires, our floods, our torrential rains cannot overwhelm God’s presence among us. I’ve personally discovered in the place called Stuck, which encompasses not understanding, my very anchor has been to continue serving, worshiping, and knowing with all of my being that His presence is real, alive, active, and with me. Nothing appears as we might want. Nothing occurs as we might plan (or have planned). But…His presence is the promise. His presence is enough. It is in His presence not only are pleasures evermore, but we simply are being restored to a place called Wholeness.

In His presence all that matters is Him. We don’t lack reality. We’re not delusional. We recognize the throws of life. They no longer compel us to forget to choose Him above them (life’s concerns). In His presence He is the focus. He is the Preeminent One. In His presence He is refining us and finetuning us to His cadence and rhythm as a watchmaker finetunes watches, resetting them, restoring them. Oh dear one, if we could just see that bigger picture that after all of this, after the storm, during the storm, it is all about Him. It is all about beholding Him and Him crucified. It is all about being in Him; being closer to Him. Nothing outshines His presence. Nothing can deny that He is with us…unless we choose to remain in Stuck.

A place called Rest

Therefore, let go of the sneering and jeering when others misunderstand and misjudge you. Let go of the people-pleasing and explanations. Let go of your own dreams and expectations. Let go of the confusion and the wandering within. Let go of what used to be, including the great things, the godly things He once approved. Because…in His presence is an unmatched gift…a place called Rest. In Rest nothing conquers us. In Rest we are refilled and refueled.

In Rest we are under the shadow of His wings where we’re protected from those who would misuse and misappropriate God’s weaponries. In Rest we receive the bounty of His presence and the good land. In Rest we receive His best for us…and then some! In Rest we are weaponized to be formed into the Lord of Heaven’s Armies’ instruments of battle. Oh, that we would know that He is with us even in this! Whatever our this may be.