Dear Gloomy Christian

 “For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” -Psalm 30:5

The Word of God is both true and lovely. We find in this single verse the full and honest truth about human grief as well as the refreshing help from heaven. Our anxieties, griefs, depressions are not hidden behind a veneer of “it’s nothing,” nor is the cure some flippant cliché. The honest darkness we experience as fallen creatures covers our thoughts and days like thick gloom, and the help of our merciful God is like a warm sun ray piercing through the clouds.

As a sinner before a holy God, I fear His anger. Yet to know the Father’s favor on Christ’s righteousness is on me for a lifetime is a great comfort, welcoming me to confess sin and repent knowing I am warmly welcomed by my forgiving God who is long-suffering with me.

With such a warm welcome like the father to the lost son, the second half of this verse is deeply refreshing for my often weary heart. “Weeping may tarry for the night,” sings the Psalmist. I must carry on, but what can I do with my anxiety, grief, sadness? The counsel may come from the seat of scoffers to simply toughen up, stop being so wimpy. Trust me, I have tried that. I have tried hiding my weeping behind a determined face to show the world that I am strong and I am fine. 

The Psalmist later writes, “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness” (Psalm30:11). Notice, the Psalmist did not turn himself into being glad. He did not simply toughen up or straighten his crown and carry on. God, by His rich mercy, turned the Psalmist’s gloom into gladness.

This, dear brother or sister, is a warm invitation from our heavenly Father. His anger for me and my sin was poured out on Christ who became a curse for me (Galatians3:13). God is not angry with me. His mercy is on my lifespan and shall follow me all of my days (Psalm 23:6). Perhaps you need to hear this, beloved: in Christ, God is not angry with you. He invites you and me with sin, anxiety, sadness, gloom, to come to Him through Christ. His Holy Spirit draws us to Him. Our Lord is full of love, forgiveness, mercy, and wisdom for the gloomy child who comes to Him.

Go to Him in faith and go now, go often. God lifts the burdens we cast upon Him, and He is both mighty enough and caring enough to lift them (I Peter 5:7). Yes, even if the Lord does not take away from the causes of our pain, like Paul’s thorn, we hear the Lord say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Let us, like Paul, “boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (II Corinthians 12:9).

The Lord’s mercy turning my gloom to gladness has a purpose that I “may sing Your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever” (Psalm 30:12). Go to the Lord trusting His mercy for you in Christ. He takes your gloom and gives you gladness that you will not be silent in the darkness but rejoicing with thanksgiving in the light of His glorious grace.

Heavenly Father, we come to You in honesty. We are sinners. Our flesh weakly falls into gloom, covering the thoughts of our hearts with sadness. Forgive us Lord and do not be angry with Your children in Christ. Lift our burdens as we cry out to you from the darkness and gladden our hearts that we may sing of Your glorious grace! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Victorious Life

“To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” -Revelation 2:7

The successful life is not found simply in the life of seven habits or having a positive outlook on life. Such “successes” may perhaps grant some earthly rewards, but, to the Christian, life is everlasting. Therefore, success and reward must be everlasting.

I find Scripture’s description of our earthly life and success captivating. Our life here is a vapor (James 4:14), is marked with perseverance rather than mere coasting (Hebrews 10:36), and war. Christ gives everlasting life, “which is the paradise of God,” to the one who conquers or overcomes. Jesus’ words to the churches in Revelation each promise reward “to the one who conquers.” This temporary life filled with momentary afflictions is a life of war with sin. The Scripture depicts sin to be put to death with the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:13).

We trust in Christ who overcame and overcomes. Christ disarmed rulers of the kingdom of darkness at the cross and His empty tomb (Colossians 2:15). We are made new creatures in the Spirit who puts to death the works of the flesh. We are not left to our own devices to wage war with the flesh, or remaining sin. We do not simply “shape up” by willpower, but are sanctified received by faith in His power at work in us.

The victorious life of a Christian is one of repentance, His conquering of sin. We do not simply cruise control through life, but are courageously active in our enduring pursuit of Christ-likeness. Know, dear Christian, that such a godly life invites pains and griefs (II Timothy 3:12). You may enter into your heavenly reward with tears, but our Savior will personally wipe away those tears for the last time (Revelation 21:4).

Press on, Christian. Continue walking with His strength. Do not grow weary in doing good. Do not quit. The completed Kingdom is coming with Christ’s return who will complete the work of salvation He began in you (Philippians 1:6). Continue becoming aware of your sinfulness and the war to put sin in you to death. Continue proclaiming His good news to rescue sinners bound to the kingdom of darkness. You will be victorious because Christ is Victor. You will overcome because Christ has overcome.

Heavenly Father, we confess our sins before You. Grant to us forgiveness and power to repent, that power of the Conquering Christ to overcome sin. Continue Your mighty work in us, Lord. Comfort us in our pain. Sanctify us in Your truth. And may our heavenly reward of everlasting life with You press us onward to persevere faithfully by Your glorious might in us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Afghanistan, Raging Nations, and Christ's Final Victory

 “The sound of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The LORD of hosts is mustering a host for battle.” -Isaiah 13:4

The scene in Afghanistan is appalling. Witnessing desperate mothers hand their children, even infants, over barricades and into the arms of retreating soldiers out of fear of life under the war between the Taliban and ISIS would be. Watching frenzied Afghan men race retreating military aircraft along the runway to their peril. The harrowing plight of Afghanistan gravitates the Christian to remember that this disordered world groans with all creation for redemption, and the Redeemer is coming.

Christ the Redeemer has power to save sinners from the grip of this violent, evil world. He came to us and was willingly placed in the hands of evil men in the hour of the rule of darkness (Luke 22:53). Yet, the perfect, sinless Son of God conquered death in a mighty victory rising from the dead. He gathers each Christian safely upon our death. Yet, we read in Revelation that the gathered martyrs will cry loudly, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 6:10)?

Jesus comforts the heavenly martyrs with these words: “rest a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers, were killed” (Revelation 6:11). The world may rage in this hour of the rule of darkness, but the rule of darkness will end when the full number of the church is secured behind the safety of the Lord of Hosts.

Isaiah prophesied that the Lord will gather all the nations for battle, a final showdown. He is called the Lord of Hosts, the God of armies of angels. The nations of the earth rage, the Psalmist tells us (Psalm 2). The nations do not simply rage in an uproar simply because the world hates what is good, but their battle is with the Lord.

Isaiah later prophesied that the nations “rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters” (Isaiah 17:12). What an eloquent way of describing the disorder, anger, violence, and godlessness of our world! Paul reminded Timothy that in the last days Christians will experience difficulty in this world (II Timothy 3:1). The disorder and evil in this world seem to grow more intense as time goes by. How will this raging, chaotic, disorderly world end well?

The Psalmist writes, the Lord “makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the chariots with fire” (Psalm 46:9). Christ will finally gather the raging nations and end the violence forever. Christ will rule in everlasting peace.

Future hope ought to comfort us, but I cannot help but grieve the horrors Afghan Christians must face. I believe Christ will return to the earth to restore perfect order and peace, yet I also pray the Lord of Hosts thwart the enemies of God’s attacks on the church. If deliverance from the wicked hands of evil men do not come at present, I pray to the God of all comfort to bless Christians facing persecution with peace and perseverance trusting Christ will one day burn all the enemies’ chariots in fire and break their bow. May He bless even me that I may remain faithful.

Heavenly Father, I know You do not turn a blind eye to Your people crying out for mercy. Bless Your persecuted children who face danger and grief so deeply. Bless, O Lord, with peace and a persevering faithfulness trusting You gather Your church into safety, and You will gather Your enemies to end war under our Redeemer’s rule forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen.