Elevation Point Church

We tend to view dark moments in life as bad whenever they happen. We feel as if darkness is always bad — but it’s not always bad. Dark moments are scary, uncertain, and blinding; however, it is in the dark moments that we can experience God working His greatest plans. Don’t run from the shade, embrace it.

Momentary disappointment is a natural part of life, but God has a greater plan and perfect timing. Many times we go where God sends us and do what he says, but we don’t see what was promised. Even when things don't go as expected or dreams seem delayed, God remains faithful and true to His promises. In moments of doubt or uncertainty, it is comforting to know that God never forgets His promises. Just as He remembered His promises to the Israelites, He will remember His covenants with us. Trusting in God's plan and timing allows us to find hope and peace, knowing that He is working all things together for our ultimate good.

Jesus could have easily come down to earth from heaven and done what He wanted — He’s Jesus. But instead, He came down and did what His Father wanted. He chose to fulfill the will of the one who sent Him. Likewise, we all go through moments where we want to do our own thing. We have our plans, agendas, priorities. We have our responses to circumstances, our feelings, our emotions. And yet, in the end, it’s our following of His plan that leads to peace, fulfillment, and hope.

We often dismiss the extraordinary because it appears ordinary. We make things more complex than they should be. Jesus provides straightforward guidance, yet we underestimate it due to its simplicity. We even complicate the essence of the gospel. Jesus simply said, "follow me," but we have turned it into a set of rigid rules and regulations. Dress in this manner, pray in that manner, and only then will you reach heaven. We have needlessly overcomplicated what should be straightforward.

We all have weaknesses, setbacks, and mistakes. The thing is, the enemy is really good at reminding us of our weakness. And as much as we’d like to think all weakness is behind us, the reality is that it’s not always that easy. What if my weakness isn’t just a part of my past? What if it’s still a part of who I am? The beautiful truth, however, is that even in the midst of all this, God is known for using broken people to do big things. He brings His greatest strengths through the acknowledgment of our greatest weaknesses.

God always keeps His word. While it may look different than we thought it would, it doesn’t make His word any less true. Too often, we allow our surroundings to skew our view of what God said. If what we see looks different than what God said, we give up and stop short. But just because the surroundings may not match God’s promises right now, it doesn’t mean that they won’t line up with God’s word in His timing.

In James 1, he tells us that we are to be joyful, even in the midst of our greatest trials. This is the opposite of the way we live our lives. We live in such a way that when things go how we want, we’re happy. And when things don’t go how we want, we’re not. However, with Jesus, the reason we find joy in trials is because we know that nothing is wasted with Him. As we persevere, we grow and are strengthened. It may not feel like it now, but it will be worth it.