Articles
Faith Shines Through Dark Feelings
Elijah faced a lot of dark feelings in 1 Kings 19. He faced fear, doubt, discouragement, and despair. “He was afraid and ran for his life.” (19:3). “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” (19:4). “I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (19:10). Since Elijah was a man “with a nature like ours,” (James 5:17) he experienced the same emotional ups and downs we do. When the darkness sets in, it’s hard to see the light of God, but that’s when faith must shine through. Daily circumstances may change, and our feelings along with them, but God never changes. Faith can shine through the darkness of our feelings because God is still God whether things go the way we want or not. The Israelites didn’t repent like Elijah wanted, but God was still God. Jezebel put out an execution order against Elijah, but God was still God. In the end, faith in that truth brought Elijah out of the shadows. The following is an excerpt from an article by Gary Henry in “Diligently Seeking God.” He says it so well and I pray it will be a blessing to you.
“There is no such thing as a truth so clear that no circumstance can call it into question. In the practical living of daily life, we all understand that doubt can creep into our minds concerning even the things we’re most sure of. However rock-like the things may be that we believe in, our feelings of security and confidence are not set in stone. They fluctuate, often rather quickly. And so, common sense tells us not to throw away our faith at the first sign of trouble. If our principles have been carefully acquired and lovingly nurtured, then they’re too valuable to be discarded when momentary doubt raises its head. When difficulty must be dealt with, that is when we need our principles the most.
Oswald Chambers wisely said, ‘Believe God is always the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him.’ When darkness sets in and doubt makes its expected assault, we must not throw away the confidence that has been granted to us in the sunlight…The light that is visible to us in this realm may rise and fall, and with it our feelings of courage or despair, but He does not ever cease to be the eternal ‘I AM.’ This must be our faith. This is our Father’s world, and let us ‘ne’er forget, that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet’ (Maltbie D. Babcock).
I believe in the sun even if it isn’t shining.
I believe in love even when I am alone.
I believe in God even when He is silent.
A WW2 Refugee”
