Yesterday I had the opportunity to live the devotional I had just written – Good, Better, Best! Sometimes you just know the Lord is setting you up to see things His way…
I had been waiting months to receive news about a physical issue I have been dealing with. Yesterday was the day. I was going to get an answer, the end was in sight.
But the answer I received was not the answer I was hoping for. My heart sank down into my shoes. I wanted to cry but managed to hold it together. I was not going to let my emotions win! My faith and hope has always been in the Lord on this and I wasn’t going to back off now.
I thought I knew how God was going to work it all out and now that was gone. I had to be willing to give up what I thought was my “best” answer for His.
Several Scriptures came flooding in to fill my heart.
“Shout praises to the Lord! The Lord blesses everyone who worships him and gladly obeys his teachings…They won’t ever be troubled and the kind things they do will never be forgotten. 7 Bad news won’t bother them; they have decided to trust the Lord. 8 They are dependable and not afraid” Psalm 112:1, 6-8 CEV
“The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm. 4 So always trust the Lord because he is forever our mighty rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4 CEV
I don’t know what kind of things you consider bad news. It may be something about your kids, your job, your finances, your health. Whatever it is I encourage you to “not be afraid”. This news doesn’t come as a surprise to the Lord. He knows and He has a plan to turn it for our good.
We can trust Him!
The thing that’s important is to keep your eyes focused on God’s word. The perfect peace comes when we have our minds stayed or established firmly on the Lord.
Take a look at a father who came to Jesus asking for his daughter to be healed.
“The person in charge of the Jewish meeting place was also there. His name was Jairus, and when he saw Jesus, he went over to him. He knelt at Jesus’ feet 23 and started begging him for help. He said, “My daughter is about to die! Please come and touch her, so she will get well and live.” 24 Jesus went with Jairus. Many people followed along and kept crowding around...
While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from Jairus’ home and said, “Your daughter has died! Why bother the teacher anymore?”
36 Jesus heard what they said, and he said to Jairus, “Don’t worry. Just have faith!”
37 Jesus did not let anyone go with him except Peter and the two brothers, James and John. 38 They went home with Jairus and saw the people crying and making a lot of noise. 39 Then Jesus went inside and said to them, “Why are you crying and carrying on like this? The child isn’t dead. She is just asleep.” 40 But the people laughed at him.
After Jesus had sent them all out of the house, he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples and went to where she was. 41-42 He took the twelve-year-old girl by the hand and said, “Talitha, koum!” which means, “Little girl, get up!” The girl got right up and started walking around.
Everyone was greatly surprised. 43 But Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. Then he said, “Give her something to eat.” Mark 5:22-24, 35-43 CEV
What you’re not reading here are verses 25-34 where Jesus and Jairus were stopped by a woman who had a blood issue. She reached out and touched Jesus, receiving the healing she needed. But her touch delayed Jesus and Jairus. I’m sure Jairus was very anxious – his daughter was dying, Jesus was going with him and they were delayed.
Then the worst thing happened. People came from Jairus’ home and said that his daughter had died. Jesus was unaffected by their report and told Jairus to have faith and not worry.
Don’t be moved by bad news!
Being in the presence of God is a good place to be. Just as Jesus was with Jairus in his time of need, the Lord is ever present with us. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us.
Jairus walked on to his home with Jesus and saw the miraculous! His daughter was raised from the dead.
In Psalms we have a promise that when we are in His presence we can be full of joy.
“You will teach me the right way to live. Just being with you will bring complete happiness. Being at your right side will make me happy forever.” Psalm 16:11 ERV
So what do we do when bad news comes – what do we do with delays?
“ Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me.” John 14:1 CEV
We keep our eyes on the Lord and we will be firmly established!