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Walking Through The Badlands
In October, of 2014,
my wife and I visited the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. It is
scenic, but some areas are rugged, desolate, and dangerous. The park is
located in the fossil beds from and
ancient ocean according to scientists. Although there is a
plateau of grassland were the buffalo roam, there is little vegetation
in the eroded canyons as seen in the above photo and there are numerous
warning signs to watch for rattle snakes.
The reality is that everyone at one time or another take a walk through the desolate badlands in their life. These are times when things don't go as we have planned. Everything that you think would never go wrong, goes wrong. Sometimes we may be struggling because we have disobedient to the Word of God. Sometimes we may struggle because of the actions of others. However, we may also struggle because we are simply under the attack of the powers of darkness. You may find more discussion of this topic in my article on "The Suffering Issue". Today, I don't want to focus on "why" so much as "What to do when you are walking through the badlands".
As I am currently writing this material, I still have bronchitis congestion and also some digestive issues. I have had the upper respiratory congestion all the time on a vacation that my wife and I took to South Dakota. I had to rest completely for two days and for part days most of the other days. I have also been under spiritual attack with feelings of depression and even hopelessness. I have had several strange dreams of failure, disappointment, and depression as well. From my perspective, the attacks are unfounded, but none the less quite real. I was scheduled to have a routine colon exam when I returned from the vacation, but have had to postpone it because of the bronchitis.
When walking through the badlands there are some spiritual truths that we should remember:
I. God often works in our lives as we walk through the badlands.
II. God still has a good plan for our lives as we walk through the badlands.
III. God is well able to deliver us even during the time we walk through the badlands .
IV. God is able to work all things together for our benefit as we walk through the badlands.
V. God is with us, as Believers, as we walk through the dangers of the badlands.
VI. God is there to help us at the very time that we are walking through the badlands.
VII. God has a process in mind as we walk though the badlands.
VIII. God gives us comfort as we walk through the badlands.
IX. God's ways are not always what we desire as we walk through the badlands.
The reality is that everyone at one time or another take a walk through the desolate badlands in their life. These are times when things don't go as we have planned. Everything that you think would never go wrong, goes wrong. Sometimes we may be struggling because we have disobedient to the Word of God. Sometimes we may struggle because of the actions of others. However, we may also struggle because we are simply under the attack of the powers of darkness. You may find more discussion of this topic in my article on "The Suffering Issue". Today, I don't want to focus on "why" so much as "What to do when you are walking through the badlands".
As I am currently writing this material, I still have bronchitis congestion and also some digestive issues. I have had the upper respiratory congestion all the time on a vacation that my wife and I took to South Dakota. I had to rest completely for two days and for part days most of the other days. I have also been under spiritual attack with feelings of depression and even hopelessness. I have had several strange dreams of failure, disappointment, and depression as well. From my perspective, the attacks are unfounded, but none the less quite real. I was scheduled to have a routine colon exam when I returned from the vacation, but have had to postpone it because of the bronchitis.
When walking through the badlands there are some spiritual truths that we should remember:
I. God often works in our lives as we walk through the badlands.
I know that this is not very
charismatic in thought and
although I don't care for "tribulation", God seems to always bless me
in the end through it. "Confirming
the souls of the disciples,
and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through
much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts
14:22). There is usually a storm comes before there is a rainbow.
Therefore, I am looking forward to the
blessings in the process and in the end. In fact, He has already given
me a deeper revelation of some
spiritual truths about His grace.
II. God still has a good plan for our lives as we walk through the badlands.
Even when everything seems to be going
wrong and although we come to the end of our hope, God still has a plan
for us that is a good plan and He also has the ability to carry it
out. "For I know the
thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace,
and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (Jeremiah
29:11).
III. God is well able to deliver us even during the time we walk through the badlands .
When Abraham and Sarah were far past
the age of bearing children and it would seem that all hope for having
a son was gone, God came to encourage them. "Is
any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return
unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son"
(Genesis 18:14). What is impossible for man is possible with God.
"And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not
with God: for with God all things are possible" (Mark 10:27).
When Daniel's friends faced execution for refusing to bow to worship
the image of Nebuchadnezzar they boldly answered the king. "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to
answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is
able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver
us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee,
O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image
which thou hast set up" (Daniel 3:16-18).
IV. God is able to work all things together for our benefit as we walk through the badlands.
The really amazing thing is that God
can take the tragedies in our lives and work them together for our
benefit. "And we know that
all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
The expression is that you can't have a testimony until after you
experience the test.
V. God is with us, as Believers, as we walk through the dangers of the badlands.
One of the difficulties of walking
through the badlands is that we don't always recognize the presence of
the Lord. However, David declared, "Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me"
(Psalms 23:4). We need to practice His presence even through we
are walking through the badlands. See: "Communion
With God"
VI. God is there to help us at the very time that we are walking through the badlands.
Often we may look for some day in the
distant future that God may help us, because as we walk through the
badlands of life God's help may seem to be far away. "God is our refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble" (Psalms 46:1). "Let us therefore come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). He may help us as walk in
the badlands or He may help us walk out of the badlands.
VII. God has a process in mind as we walk though the badlands.
We often want immediate spiritual
growth and maturity, but with God it comes through a process. "But the God of all grace, who
hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye
have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle
you"
(I Peter 5:10). It is only through the GRACE of God that we grow.
The time that we find really need grace is when we are walking through
the badlands. Again, I don't know of anyone who enjoys suffering, but
it comes none the less. It is in the midst of the suffering that
God begins to complete our lives when we can't do it ourselves. He
gives us strength when come to the end of our own strength and turn to
discover His strength. It is then that God gives us peace in the
midst of the storm as we turn to depend upon Him.
VIII. God gives us comfort as we walk through the badlands.
Since everyone at one time or other
must face walking through the badlands. The good news is that is there
God to comfort us that we may share that comfort with others as they
also walk through the badlands. "Blessed
be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our
tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any
trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God"
(II Corinthians 1:3-4).
IX. God's ways are not always what we desire as we walk through the badlands.
Mary and Martha desired that Jesus come
and heal their critically sick brother, Lazarus, but instead, Jesus
delayed his coming and Lazarus died. They both were very disappointed
and blamed Jesus for the death of their brother. Look at what Jesus
said unto Martha, "Jesus saith
unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou
shouldest see the glory of God?" (John 11:40). Jesus
challenged her to believe in him although things had not turned out
like she had desired.