I wrote a post last night to update folks on my dad & then deleted it. My heart was burdened as I penned the words, so the message felt heavy laden. A high temp & labored breathing led back to the aid of a breathing tube. It felt like a step in the wrong direction, but it’s really a way to help his body rest while he heals.
When things are hard or heavy, we can choose to respond in many ways. Today I read about two options that can each feel hard.
Mark 15 tells how Jesus faces His accusers, the priests, elders & teachers of the law as they, “discuss their next steps.” I can’t imagine the temptation to react to these men who plotted with such wicked intent. They bring him before Pilate & accuse Him of many things, but when asked for a response, Jesus made no reply. He was beaten & whipped & mocked & finally crucified, yet throughout it all, he made no reply.
The enemy likes to accuse anything & anyone. That’s one of his names👉🏽The Accuser. I believe the Lord is Lord over all & yet accuser is free to roam the earth until Jesus returns. When circumstances don’t go as we’d hoped or things begin to unfold in an unwanted direction, he loves to whisper sweet nothings filled with negativity. Making no reply can hard.
On the flip, David writes in Psalm 54 of a time when he’s hiding from his accuser - Saul. In the midst of hiding, he does something almost as remarkable. He uses his words to proclaim that God is his helper & offers a “voluntary offering” of praise!
I can’t say that silence or praise would be my go-to responses when things are difficult. We can be honest with God about our feelings & also be careful not to give too much airtime to the enemy.
Elizabeth Elliot once said,
“To pray, ‘Thy will be done,’ I must be willing, if the answer requires it, that my will be undone.”
Father, when walking through the valleys of hard, & our will wishes to to use words to complain, help us to let our will be undone so Yours might prevail! Holy Spirit, help us to either make no reply to enemy operation OR use our words instead to praise the name of our good God who rescues us from troubles & helps us triumph over the enemy!
NUMBERS 15:17-16:40
MARK 15:1-47
PSALM 54:1-7
PROVERBS 11:5-6
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