When everyone gives up on us — or more importantly — you give up on you, you settle into mediocrity.
Since what was, or what you thought is, is all over and seemingly has lost all hope, after some time we accept the death of the Vision or Dream, and give up on all the others we had put your confidence and trust in.
What usually ends up happening when all Hope dies, is settling into the current set of circumstances, because it appears that what we placed our Faith in, no longer is valid, and we really see no direction.
We just end up settling into a place of death of vision, or just retire to a life of sparingly or mediocre growth, having no spiritual meaning in our lives anymore.
We had been so hopeful about what great things we thought things would turn out to be. This is much how it was for Peter when he denied The LORD Jesus three times, and his hope was all lost — so, he went back to fishing.
“Simon Peter saith unto them, “I go fishing.” They say unto him, “We also go with thee.” They went forth and entered into a ship immediately, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, “Children, have ye any meat?” They answered him, “No,” and He said unto them, “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.” John 21:3-6 KJV
Martha and Mary too fell at the feet of Jesus and wept over their brother Lazerus, who had died. They had sent a message to Jesus when Lazerus fell sick.
They cried and said if you had been here our brother would not have died. However, Jesus knew what He had to do in waiting on purpose.
Sometimes God will cause circumstances that cause waiting on purpose. In the silence of waiting patiently, we are refined and defined.
When Jesus arrived, Lazerus had been dead for four days. Jesus — as the Son of Man — identified with the grief and sorrow that filled their lives and groaned, wept, and felt the pain they suffered.
He was familiar with their feelings and what they suffered. However, God had set up for an eternal event of a supernatural encounter!
This encounter with The LORD Jesus Christ would eternally be remembered, as the countless number of believers would one day identify with this event.
The LORD will allow everything to die, and everyone to lose hope in that death of the event and it will stink.
Everyone lost hope in Lazarus — and Jesus showed up four days after Lazerus’ death.
Jesus said to “Roll away the stone!” and He went on to say this, “Did not I say that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)
After they removed the stone from the place where Lazarus was laid, Jesus prayed and thanked God that He heard Him, but all this was because of the people, so that they would believe God sent Him, and Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he did! (John 11:43)
Jesus Christ knew Lazerus had to die, and He knew when He had to go to Bethany, because He had to let everything die, so that the result of the story is all about Him!
We too. As things seem to die in our lives, God knows how long it takes to realize and understand that we will finally know the results of a story, is all about Him and His Glory! For no flesh will glory in His Presence!
“Now Jesus was not yet come into the town but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, she goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, behold how he loved him! And some of them said, could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.” John 11:30-45 KJV
In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey
New Beginning Christian Ministries International 