August 5, 2010 When All Seems Lost, God Makes A Way

I was suicidal once, years back; for a month or more, I struggled with thoughts of how I could end my life because chronic depression had left me hopeless, and my circumstances seemed unchangeable.  I had lost connection with my faith in God, although I would not have denied it consciously.  The only thing that kept me going was that I needed to take care of my children.  I thank God for a dad who heard God, comprehended where I was at, and offered to pay for therapy.  This was the beginning of a long journey of healing and restoration for me.  That I now have abiding peace and joy in my life, and a stable environment and relationships, is a great example of the power of the cross of Christ.  It is in Him alone that I have found reality, sanity and purpose.

I share this because it is the first thing I thought of when I saw the heading for today's reading in Ezra: End of the Babylonian Captivity.  What I saw in the passage was that if God could stir up the spirit of Cyrus, He can do whatever needs to be done to rescue us from our distresses.  He did do that for me.  When I thought no good could come from my life (that was of course, a deception), God broke through my darkness and brought me out.  My sinful choices had gotten me into captivity in the first place.  God used it for good in my life anyway. 

When humanity had fallen into the depths of depravity, God made a way.  When Jesus went to the cross to die, He took upon Himself the whole of mankind's mess.  He came back from the depths of death bringing our deliverance with Him.  As Paul said, it sounds like foolishness to a lot of people, but I say, foolishness or not, it's wisdom and life.  I can testify first hand-- I'm only alive because of Him.

The Corinthians passages are some of the most powerful and hopeful I know of: I love them!  When you put them together with the Ezra account, the Psalms and the Proverbs, today's reading packs a powerfully hopeful punch! I completely embrace being a "foolish thing"!  It means I'm chosen to put to shame the "high and mighty" things of the world.  I just said to my husband this morning, that I didn't belong in the big, bad world-- that I just wanted to hide out "in a cave" and be a little girl.  The fact is, I am God's little girl!  I don't have to fit in with, or be accepted by, the world (that's perishing anyway); I don't belong!  I belong to the Kingdom!  I'm in Christ and Christ is in God.  I can be strong in the power of His might!  I  can glory in Him!  I don't have to be anything, because He is everything.  However, as I keep pressing into Him, the foolishness that is me gives way to the wisdom that is Him.  I begin to realize that in the Kingdom I have substance, significance, sustainability.

If you are lost, Jesus is the Way.  If you have been found by Him, Jesus is still the Way.  Along the Way you find Truth and Life.  These things are worth living for!  Whether you know it or not, Jesus already died for you and proclaimed you "forgiven."  Your future love relationship with God began at that moment.  Whenever you awake to this reality and say "yes," the adventure begins.  Never give up on your life!  You will be totally surprised at the wondrous things He has in store for you, even if you feel like a foolish thing right now.   

Bonus: Negativity is the beginning of the suicidal road; here's how not to get there, ever:

"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD."
Psalm 27:13-14

Questions to ponder:
Have you ever struggled with despair or suicidal thoughts? How did you get out from under them?
If you have had victory in this area, have you ever shared it with others?
Do you know anyone who struggles with depression or suicidal thoughts?
How do you deal with that? 
Even if these things are far from your own experience, what have you learned that is applicable to you?

Truth: Whatever you've overcome in your life is what the Lord will use to minister life to others through you.