“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” – Isaiah 45:3 NIV
“I have never been in this place before. It is new ground for me, and I find I am way out of my comfort zone. I am scared to death to trust Him at this level. I had to confess to the Lord I have not been able to accept or believe His love for me in this area.”
Those were the words I expressed to a friend when I was in a difficult place in my life. That day when I confessed those words, God led me to this passage of Scripture found in Isaiah 45:3.
What we perceive as dark periods in our lives are designed to be Treasures from God. They are actually Riches Stored in Secret Places. We cannot see those times in this light because of the often-accompanying pain or fear that prevents us from accepting these times as Treasures. However, they have a particular purpose from God’s viewpoint: “…so that you may know that I am the Lord…who summons you by name.”
You see, unless we are cast into times in which we are completely at God’s mercy for breakthroughs in our lives, we will never experience God’s faithfulness in those areas. We will never know how personal He is, or that He can be trusted to meet the deepest needs in our lives. God wants each of us to know that we are “summoned by name.”
Every hair of our head is numbered. He knows every activity we are involved in. He’s bottled every tear we’ve ever cried. His love for you and me knows no bounds, and He will take every opportunity to demonstrate this to us.
Has God brought you into a place of darkness? A place where it feels lonely, cold, even depressing? A place where you don’t understand and neither does anyone around you? A place where doubts, anxieties, fears, nervousness and even panic attacks are settling in?
If So, Simply Keep God’s 4 Promises In Mind:
1) He’s going to give you Treasures in Darkness! Yes, right where you are currently with not even a shimmer of light, right there, He’s going to Prosper you, Bless You, Increase You! He’s going to bring you to your Wealthy Place…Even While You’re Still In Darkness;
2) He’s going to give you Riches Stored in Secret Places! And you’re worried and stressed because you feel like you’re suffering in silence, all by your lonesome? Truth is…you’re in a good place! In your Secret Place, with just you and God is where He’s going to let you go shopping in His Storehouse of Riches! So, stop complaining! Sometimes God has you all by yourself so you can enjoy His Rich Storehouse…All By Yourself!
3) He promises you will Know that He Is Lord! There is simply no greater blessing than to Know God! Right in your place of darkness and loneliness, you are going to get to Know God as you’ve never known Him before? Why? How? Because it’s in “high-times”; “good-times” in which we’re often to busy to spend any quality time with God. However, when we’re going through a rough, dark patch…it’s then that we call on God desperately! Waiting to hear His voice and feel His presence! It’s in the darkness where we cling to Him as our life-support-system! In the dark we don’t want to talk, we just want to recline in the arms of the Father and hear Him speak words of comfort, peace and restoration. You get to Know God in the dark, because there’s no outside interference or busyness. It’s just you and Him! Be careful about being in a hurry to change your location. Stay there for awhile, and Get to Know Him as Lord!
4) He will Call/Summon You By Name! Now if that’s not enough to shout over, I don’t know what is! We often hear that God is going to bless “us” or “the church” or “believers”…but do you know God is waiting to Bless Individual YOU?! And not only that, but He’s going to Call or Summons You By Name! That word “summon” has a Latin Origin “summonere” and it means ‘to give a hint’! Can you imagine God summons you, by name, to give you a hint! And what does hint mean? It’s origin means “opportunity” from an Old English word meaning “grasp”! In your dark moment, God is going to call or summons you, by name, to give you a hint and that hint is about an opportunity you’re about to grasp! Don’t Discount Your Darkness! You Never Know What Great Light God Will Shine In Your Dark Places!
Therefore, today, determine to Trust Him to reveal that hidden treasure that can be found only in your moment of darkness. Let Him summon you by name and grant you an opportunity to Change Your Life For The Better…For Good!
Feel Free to Join Us On Sisterhood School of Inspiration at: www.sisterhoodschoolofinspiration.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “Monday’s Meat: From Famine to Freedom!”
Jan 28, 2013 @ 13:39:33
rich word that touches the heart and mind. I would like to share this with my women’s group with your permission….thanks dr. S
Jan 28, 2013 @ 15:28:11
Thanks sis, glad it was encouraging. You are more than welcome to share it with your women’s group. I hope it will encourage them just the same. Much love to you always!