Many years ago, while in the Air Force, my wife and I were driving to Augusta, GA. We were heading to visit my cousins who were stationed at Ft. Gordon, GA. We left Florida late that evening, and while traveling on Interstate Highway 20, we encountered heavy fog between Atlanta and Augusta. I have never seen fog as thick as an ominous cloud in all my years of traveling. I could barely see 10 or 20 feet ahead of me, and because it was late, there was hardly any traffic on the road. There were no fog lights on my car, and I did not want to pull over or stop at a hotel for the night. We decided to push on. Thank God we arrived at our destination safely with the help of a trucker whose eighteen-wheeler was equipped with fog lights.
Like that night on that foggy road, life can sometimes expose us to challenges and obstacles that obscure our path and make it dark and cloudy. There are times when we can’t see what’s ahead of us. We are in a crisis fog! It may be a financial, mental or medical crisis that propels us into total darkness to the point where we can’t see God. Like Job, we desperately seek God like Job did during his dark crisis. “I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I look to the south, but he is concealed.” Job 23:8-9 (NLT) Can you identify with Job? There are times when it seems like God can’t be found; it’s during those moments that we need to put our trust in God and God alone!
Like blind Bartimaeus, we need to believe and trust God when we can’t see Him. When you are experiencing dark and difficult times, it’s hard to find friends who are willing to walk you through darkness and difficulties. Forget about those who made you fictitious promises, they are even harder to find. The book of Proverbs says the following about trusting in people: “Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing.” Proverbs 11:7 (NIV)
There are times we need to trust God when we can’t see Him! It may be strenuous to accept and believe what I just said. It is arduous for us to see our way out when we are in a dark and cloudy situation. When the car is about to be repossessed because of late payments, or the test results are positive, and the doctor does not give you a favorable prognosis. When the house goes into foreclosure, and the lights, cable, gas or telephone service is about to be disconnected. It gets dark when your spouse is asking for a divorce after 20 years of marriage. It gets cloudy when your son or daughter gets arrested. What about when you just got fired or laid off from your job? Can you trust God?
Can you trust God when you cannot see Him? The answer is yes! Even when I can’t see Him, His Words resonate in my ears. Words like Proverbs 3:5 says this about trusting God: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” (NASB)
Blind Bartimaeus could not see Jesus, but he heard when Jesus said, “your faith has made you well.” Mark 10:52 (NASB)
You may be in a dark place, but trust God and not man. Your faith will see you out!
Be Blessed,
Bishop Jemmott
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