I heard a clear word from the Lord in the night. It is for all of us in uncertain, disappointing or even painful times.

Remain faithful in seasons of ‘No.’

As I searched the Spirit for clarification, it became clear this is a two way sword. He remains faithful to us even if the answer to our pleas, requests, and prayers are ‘No.’  He has not abandoned us. His love endures. His goodness cannot change. He reminded me of a phrase He taught me as I was trying to teach my children.

My ‘No’ is as loving as my ‘Yes.’

We often accuse God, doubt God, or we are mad at God when He doesn’t give us what we want. It is through these times we learn to trust His heart, trust His goodness not based on circumstances. We see He is a compassionate God who walks along with us in heartache. We learn to know Him in a deeper way so that we see Him for who He is. As time unravels the rest of our story, we then see a greater revelation, a greater mercy that He gave us instead of what we asked for. And. He is still with us. Even in the ‘No.’  He is faithful to never leave us.

That’s one side of the sword. The other side is We are to remain faithful in seasons of ‘No’.  We are to stand in love, stand in faith, stand in confidence in Him. How we ask? Our hearts are breaking, our hopes may be dashed on the ground. How do we approach Him if we don’t get what we want?

All of life, the point of all of it, the whole parade is summed up in this phrase:

“to know this love that surpasses knowledge.”

The end of Ephesians 3 breaks down the pathway of how to navigate the seasons of God’s loving ‘No.’

Our God is good. The Three-in-One is a good Father, a good Mother, and a good Savior. Our God is with us in the brokenness of life. He knows there is an enemy who would love nothing more than maintain the separation he caused at the garden. But Jesus came to share His fullness and the Spirit it here to escort us into faithful living.  We must guard our restored relationship with God.

But how? we ask.

He didn’t come through for us. I didn’t get the job. My loved one died. This evil persists.

“To know this love that surpasses knowledge.”

We move from what we know— facts, diagnoses, outcomes— to a Love that transcends our broken hearts. We find a comfort and His very real Presence that overshadows our existence here on earth. We refuse to align our thoughts and words with an enemy who says our God is weak, and distant; He is unable or unwilling to help.

God with us.

So again. Remain faithful in seasons of ‘No.’

 

 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.  I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3 12- 21