"Lord, happy is the man you discipline and teach from Your law to give relief from troubled times until a pit is dug for the wicked. The Lord will not forsake His people or abandon His heritage for justice will again be righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it." Psalm 94:12-15
As I look back over the past 2+ years since I joined the Light of Life Ministry, I think about all the things that have happened, tests that have been administered to myself and others and rebuke that has been passed on and learned from.
When I read Psalm 94:12-15, the words "troubled times" bring to mind the very days we were living in because they truly are troubled times. If you look at the world with eyes wide open and compare it to what you can imagine our Father in heaven would have wanted for us, it's plain to see that this is not it. These days are a living testament to the fact that this world is under Satan's influence and control.
Then, amidst it all, is a beacon of light. That light is our Ministry; shining brightly amidst the darkness of evil for all to see. Some see and reject and others see and accept, but it is there and it points the way to salvation for those who may find themselves caught in Satan's snare. We Ministers labor in our service to Father and Christ with dedication and love and full acceptance and understanding of the truth to help as cogs in the wheel of Father's plan in making sure that light shines brightly.
So I ask myself. Has it been easy? No. Has it been worth it? Yes, and I would do it all again, because I've realized that even through all the tests, trials, tribulations and heartache, Father has been answering my prayers for strength. It is a great honor to be in His and Christ's service and He has been preparing myself and the others for what is to come. He has been all the while working and helping each of us to get to a point to where no matter what happens, we will remain strong and grounded in The Way Christ has shown us and standing firm on the Rock of our salvation. Father, through discipline and instruction, has made each of us stronger. He has given us the power to keep ourselves out of Satan's snare and calm in the face of adversity.
When I prayed for strength, how did I imagine Father would provide it? I never really thought about it until now. But now, I can see clearly that my prayer was answered and continues to be answered. It was through discipline and instruction; because with each step I've taken along this Narrow Path and each time I stumbled, I've learned. And, with each step I've become stronger and wiser to the various ways in which Satan seeks to snare us. Here I'd been praying for strength and all the time it'd been given and it was through this discipline and instruction that my faith has increased and my roots have dug in deeper and deeper.
I've been humbled in ways I never dreamed possible and I've learned that I simply cannot do it alone. I need Father at the wheel and making the decisions for me because even though I may be 37 years old and capable of taking care of myself, Father can take care of me even better. Father, in all His glory, wisdom, patience and compassion knows what I need before I even manage to figure it out. And for that I am so thankful because this world is hard enough as it is and I can now be confident in His love for me and cast my cares away, knowing that no matter what hand life deals me He is in control. It's the most freeing experience and feeling of my entire life.
All Father is saying, is "Trust me. Have Faith in me. Do not abandon me and I will never abandon you." And, when you do this you please Him and create a perfect relationship of balance. It is when you are truly in union with Father and the rest of Father's family. In doing so you are doing His will in remaining faithful and in following in Christ's footsteps you empty yourself out and allow Him to work through you. The reward is not only the promise of the Kingdom, but also the peace of mind and strength it brings and a feeling of love like you've never experienced before.
Our relationship with Father, our creator, is the one and only relationship in which we can be truly certain that there will always be balance. Father, above all else, is the one and only person who will never let you down. And in a world that has as much disappointment and heartache as it has, Father is our beacon of light in the darkness. He is truly our Rock and our Salvation.
As time moves on and as we experience the Great Tribulation, knowing that Armageddon and an emptied hourglass is just around the corner...NOW is the time to be more steadfast in our faith than ever before. Now is the time to draw upon the strength we've been given as we fight the daily fight against Satan who would love nothing more than to take Father's faithful down with him. Now is the time to truly and completely guard our hearts, root out all improper thoughts and keep our eyes focused on Father who gives us strength.