Happy Wednesday friends! As I shared several months, I am excited to re-share some of the most popular devotional posts that I wrote in 2017-2018 (if you would like to see the complete list you can find it HERE!) and am excited to share this one this week! I am excited that these continue to be a blessing to so many of you! I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!
When life crashes in around us and the days of darkness seem to have no end, it can become tempting to run and fight the path and the course that has been set out before us. It can be tempting to believe that the winds of change are not bringing any good but only bad. It can feel impossible to believe that there could ever be a blessing and hope found in acceptance. And yet, there is... the blessing and hope is peace.
The popular rendition of the saying “and if not He is still good” has been a phrase that has been seen countless times across social media accounts and in passing. I recently even saw it on a greeting card.
This popular phrase is actually a paraphrase from Daniel 3:18. Daniel has just concluded his response to King Nebuchadnezzar who had threatened to throw Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fire if they did not follow his commands. Daniel in faith shared that God could rescue and deliver them from this certain fate of death, but even if he did not, they would still refuse to worship the idols that were placed before them. The paraphrase, “and if not He is still good” is a powerful summary showing the faith that these young men had in God. Stating bravely and courageously that no matter the circumstances, God, who is the King of Kings is still God and is still good.
To be honest, I fell in love with the catchy phrase years ago and I used to say this phrase so easily that it practically just rolled off my lips. Did I mean it? Absolutely. But then... the very hard things in life occur and sometimes you are forced to re-evaluate what you used to say so easily. Sometimes you learn the hope beyond the lines that you used to say. Sometimes someone asks you if you still believe everything you used to say despite the circumstances that you now currently find yourself in.
I received an email from a former student a while back asking if I still believed God is still good (despite my health issues, pain, and heartbreak from these last several years). I wept because I knew the sorrow that was surrounding this question in this individual’s life and I wished that I was well enough to travel to them to say face-to-face what my heart was screaming. Yes, absolutely yes dear one. Oh Yes. He is still good.
Circumstances, if we let them can be refining windows into our hearts shining a light on what we truly believe. My circumstances in this life doesn’t change His goodness. I can attest in new and marvelous ways than I could ever before of His profound goodness through this trial. His faithfulness astounds me even on the most difficult day. The hard and the messy and the difficult don’t change who He is.
His goodness rests solely on the truth of who He is and the reality that He has promised to never leave us, never abandon us, and has promised that He will walk with us through the fire. Whether we see it in this lifetime on this earth, or we don’t see the promises fulfilled until Heaven, He has done everything for us.
These years of difficulty and pain have gently taught me the beautiful blessing and hope found in acceptance.
You may be struggling in the heart of your own crisis of a dark night right now. You may be broken-hearted and it may seem that your life is in ashes right now. It may seem that life is unbearably cruel and difficult and you wonder how you will ever take the next step in front of you. My heart weeps with you... My heart hurts for the pain that you are struggling with. I have been there. I am there sometimes. And there will be times in life where I again will struggle through to find acceptance.
Dear friends, let us resolve to go bravely forward and trust in the deep truth that even if nothing in our life looks right, we can still trust the Lord fully and rely on His goodness. Let us, as Laurel says to her husband, accept the hand that He has dealt us, understanding that no matter what, He is still good.
He has never changed.
He will never change.
His goodness rests on His character alone.
Amy Carmichael, the missionary that I mentioned at the beginning of this post spent fifty-three years in India, where she endured numerous trials in her life. During these years she wrote a famous poem entitled, "in acceptance lies peace". Interestingly it is believed that she wrote this poem in the early 1910 era which would put it around the same time period in which When Calls the Heart is set. I wanted to share a few lines from it, because it is so encouraging.
"In acceptance lieth peace. O my heart be still;
Let thy
restless worries cease and accept His will,
Though
this test be not thy choice;
It is
His- therefore rejoice.
In His Plan there cannot be aught to make thee sad;
In His Plan there cannot be aught to make thee sad;
If this
is His choice for thee, take it and be glad.
Make
from it some lovely thing
To the
glory of thy King.
Cease from sighs and murmuring. Sing His loving grace.
Cease from sighs and murmuring. Sing His loving grace.
This
thing means thy furthering to a wealthy place.
From
thy fears He’ll give release,
In
acceptance lieth peace.”
There is a beautiful blessing and hope that is found in acceptance dear friends... peace. For those of you who are struggling deeply today with this "and if not he is still good" refrain I wanted to link two songs that have been incredibly encouraging to me in my daily struggles. I play both daily, often crying and making them my prayers... may you be blessed and comforted and find peace in the hand that the Lord has given.
It is Well... By Kristene DiMarco and Bethel Music
There is a beautiful blessing and hope that is found in acceptance dear friends... peace. For those of you who are struggling deeply today with this "and if not he is still good" refrain I wanted to link two songs that have been incredibly encouraging to me in my daily struggles. I play both daily, often crying and making them my prayers... may you be blessed and comforted and find peace in the hand that the Lord has given.
It is Well... By Kristene DiMarco and Bethel Music
Sovereign Over Us... By Aaron Keyes
"The Lord gives strength to His people. The Lord blesses them with peace."
-Psalm 29:11-
-Psalm 29:11-
*blog post originally published on Caravan Sonnet in May 2017*
*If you are interested in reading the entire account of Daniel and his friends and the miraculous events that God did in their lives, You can read the entire account of Daniel and his friends in the first several chapters from the book of Daniel in the Bible found in the Old Testament.
** If you are interested in reading about Amy Carmichael, her life, and the poem that I quoted you can read her biography by Elisabeth Elliot HERE.
Looking for past From Hope Valley Devotionals? You can click HERE to find a complete listing of all of the devotionals!
I receive several emails a week asking where you can watch older episodes of "When Calls the Heart". If you have a Netflix account you can find seasons 1-3 there or you can purchase them on Amazon. You can purchase and watch all of the seasons and episodes by clicking on the links below:
*Please note that the quotes used in these weekly devotionals are the sole intellectual property of Hallmark Channel, WCTH, & Crown Media, LLC. These on-line posts are in no way supported, endorsed or affiliated with WCTH, Hallmark Channel, or Crown Media. They are simply encouragement inspired by Janette Oke and this precious show.*
2 comments
Thank you so much for this post, Rebecca! I definitely needed this reminder that whatever happens with our move, He is still good.
ReplyDeleteThis specific devotion this week was very meaningful to me Rebecca. Thank you so very much that week after week you bring us to the foot of the cross in a very special way.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you~
Ivy Palmer