Yesterday, Today and Forever

Have you ever felt like you’ve fallen from grace? Ever felt like you’ve just strayed too far for God to reach down and bring you back to the place you once were? I hate to admit it, but there are times when I feel like that. Times when I did something wrong and knowing the consequences I would have to pay later, I continued to follow through with the act. Isn’t that funny how we do that? We sometimes never play the tape all the way through and we get so caught up in our own emotions wanting the pain, the thoughts, the loneliness, the itch of the flesh to stop that we forsake everything we know to be true.

It’s times like those where we have a couple of options and the direction we choose to gaze our eyes upon are vital. I know when I feel those feelings, my instinct is to run. Run far away from everyone and everything I know because I’m so full of shame and guilt I just can’t face the people that I love or love me. Sadly to say, I not only do that to people, I sometimes choose to do that to God.

Here is one thing I am learning about living a life in Christ. There are going to be times when your heart is broken, times when you’ve messed up tremendously, occasions where you’ll have plenty and seasons when you’ll be in need. There are going to days of sadness, times of doubt, occasions of joy and a lifetime of lessons. Through all of those things, God is still the same God.

Recently, I had a moment where I was doubting God in my life. I thought that not only did He allow me to go through some tramatic instances, but He caused them as a punishment for me. As I was driving home one day, I heard Him whisper to me “Who do you think I am?” I replied “Well…you’re God and you’re good.” The Holy Spirit then stopped me in my tracks and said “That’s right, I am God, I am good and I am the same God yesterday, today and forever. The same God that provided for you yesterday will provide for you today. The same Jesus that delivered you from your past will deliver you from this. Do not doubt my goodness for I am the same yesterday, today and forever.” All I could do was sit in my car and ask for forgiveness for how I limit God.

You see…here’s the thing - I think this is what most our problems boil down to. When we have a crisis or situation at hand, we are so quick to just focus on that. We get hysterical at times, angry, weep on the floor and all we can see is the problem. It’s a big mountain type problem and we can’t see through it, around it and we can’t tell what’s on the other side – all we see is that. BUT…in Mathew 17:20 Jesus says if you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can tell this mountain to move and it will move. Do you notice the mountain didn’t completely go away, it just moved.

If a mountain is a problem or situation in your life blocking you from seeing the goodness of God, you have the authority to move it so you can fix your gaze on the one who not only fixed your circumstances yesterday, but will still care for you today. He has a plan, a purpose and a design to bless each one of His children and it’s our job to focus on Him, rely on Him and trust in Him to catch us when we need to caught, to fight for us when we can’t fight for ourselves and to forgive us when we can’t forgive ourselves. Jesus is there waiting, longing and watching you as you go through your daily life. The only thing that stops you from seeing Him work everything out for the better in your life is your choice to look away from Him and at the mountain.