When darkness
seems to hide His face…
It seems to be an unwritten rule in
the life of every young Believer that there comes a time when they begin to
doubt the certainty of their salvation. Indeed, it is a
testament to the universality of this dark phase of our spiritual walk that
many hymnbooks have a section devoted to addressing it. (In the popular SS&S
hymnal, the section is called “Assurance and Testimony”, others call it Assurance
of Salvation, still others simply “Assurance”).
The key to
surviving this season of spiritual darkness and holy anxiety is to look, not to
yourself, but to the basis of your salvation in the first place.
Edward Mote, in
the 2nd stanza of his hymn, “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less”,
says
When darkness
seems to hide His face,
I rest on His
unchanging grace.
The assurance of
our salvation comes from the constancy of God’s favorable countenance towards
us. The reason why we’re not consumed, the LORD says in Mal 3:6 says, is
because He does not change! God’s not a fickle benefactor; neither are
His emotions capricious and unpredictable.
Are you going
through a dark season this moment? Are you worried God’s gift of salvation
still remains? James 1:17 says, Every good and perfect gift comes down from
the Father... He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing
(CEV).
No ship anchors
itself to itself. The anchor of your salvation must reside in the One who saved
you. Like the Psalmist, when your heart is overwhelmed, you must go to the rock
that is higher than you. (Ps 61:2).
That rock is His
word and His promise to you. He says,
“I will NEVER leave you, nor forsake you”, and says, “Lo, I am with
you ALWAYS, even unto the end of the world”. (Hb 13:5; Mt 28:20).
…In every high
and stormy gale,
My anchor holds
within the veil.
‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.’
AMEN.
GREG ELKAN
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