When The Door Slams
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:1-5 NKJV
Now I see that I was searching for the answer outwardly, trying to reason with my mind the best way to escape temptation and when the freeing knowledge I sought could only come by the Holy Spirit as it brings the inner light. As long as I keep struggling in this way, I was unable to return to the place where my soul might receive the fullness well-being, rest and joy.
But You, O LORD, who abides forever, You are not angry with us in our fumbling blindness. You are so merciful to us. It was pleasing to You to reshape the deformity that was causing my blindness. You kept stirring me with the sense that I was missing some secret goodness that is in You. You kept me in a state of restlessness. Finally, I saw, inwardly, the truth about the origin of evil!
I saw how superior I felt, in my striving for spiritual well-being and sufficiency--but in all this striving I was still totally inferior to You. I had been so blind to what I was doing, because of pride is like a spiritual wound to the face, swelling shut the inner eyes of understanding. And through this swollenness of pride, I was groping, wandering and separated from my LORD God. But Your healing hand applied to my eyes a stinging ointment that caused my pride and self-sufficiency to subside. What was this stinging ointment?
Think about this: I was given a true understanding of sorrow for my sinful condition. And at the same moment that I saw myself in this way, I looked upon the LORD my Savior for mercy for me. From that day to this, I have kept that wholesome sorrow for my sins that causes me to run to Jesus my Lord and Savior for the healing of my soul. For I see now that pride and self-sufficiency before You--is the source of evil in me. Coming to You daily, weak, hungry and in need of the Holy Spirit to flow through me--that my trouble and dark-soul might gradually gain healing in Jesus name.
Related Bible Texts: Psalm 23:1-5; Romans 5:12; Romans 7:21-25
Confession: May I produce fruit worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:8).
Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Never Rest Ministries
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