Trust God in the Dark

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV I don't think waiting is ever entirely easy for anyone. The human nature is preprogrammed to want everything now. I once saw an experiment where a man asked a little boy if he'd prefer one candy at that exact moment or wait thirty minutes for a whole lot more candy. Can you guess which one the little guy chose? That's right. He wanted the one candy now. That is our innate humanity that says, 'less' now is better than 'more' later. Anyone who has gone against the grain has admitted that it was not easy to sacrifice temporary pleasure for future security and longevity. But I've heard them all say that it was worth it. Today, I want to challenge us to give up what we could get now, outside of God's timing, for what He wants to give us when the time is right. It's hard...waiting in the dark. It's one thing to see fulfilment of your goal in sight. It's another to have to believe when you see nothing. You can't see how close or far away it is. You don't see God's plan and you have no idea how He's going to come through for you. It's in that dark place where you feel 'out of your depth' and overwhelmed by the task ahead, it's in that place that trust is developed. My main message to us today is to trust God in the dark. You may feel like you don't know what you're doing. This season of your life may feel new, uncomfortable and unfamiliar but trust God in the dark. There is a ram in the bush that you cannot yet see. There's a way of escape that your eyes cannot yet perceive. There's a plan in place that you know nothing about. Trust God in the dark. 

If He told you to do it, He will make a way. If he gave you the go-ahead, He has already charted a path for you to take. Obedience to God is your only responsibility. Giving your all to the task He gave you is all you can do. Everything else is up to Him and if He has brought you to it, He will bring you through it. Just trust Him in dark. 

"He Maketh No Mistake"

My Father’s way may twist and turn My heart may throb and ache, But in my soul I’m glad to know, He maketh no mistake. My cherished plans may go astray, My hopes may fade away, But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead, For He doth know the way. Tho’ night be dark and it may seem That day will never break, I’ll pin my faith, my all, in Him, He maketh no mistake. There’s so much now I cannot see, My eyesight’s far too dim, But come what may, I’ll simply trust and leave it all to Him. For by and by the mist will lift, And plain it all He’ll make, Through all the way, tho’ dark to me, He made not one mistake. - A.M. Overton, 1932