When We Doubt
When we have doubts that God will have His way, that HIS will WILL be done and that our marriages will be restored, perhaps it would help to consider this interesting passage of scripture in 1 Kings 22 (NLT):
19 Then Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left.
20 And the LORD said, `Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so that he can be killed there?’ There were many suggestions,
21 until finally a spirit approached the LORD and said, `I can do it!’
22 ” `How will you do this?’ the LORD asked. “And the spirit replied, `I will go out and inspire all Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’ ” `You will succeed,’ said the LORD. `Go ahead and do it.’
23 “So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of your prophets. For the LORD has determined disaster for you.”
When I first found that scripture, I had to read it several times, because it was such a strange concept to me that the Lord would use a lying spirit to accomplish His will. And then I found these verses in Joel 2:
25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten — the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm — my great army that I sent among you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.Whether or not we like it or understand it, we have to accept that NOTHING happens in our life that the Lord does not control and that HIS will WILL ALWAYS be done for His praise and glory, as confirmed again in Ephesians 1:6-14:
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.Sometimes God causes or allows calamity in our lives to get our attention and to bring us back into right relationship with Him so we will live our lives for the praise of His glory, which is His plan and intention for us as His children. Romans 8:28 (NLT) confirms that too, because it says:
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
So the next time the lying spirits Satan sends in the form of well intended and well meaning advice from your best friends, your mother, your husband, and even your pastor, try to convince you that the restoration of your marriage is hopeless or impossible, please remember these passages of scripture and KNOW that God’s will WILL be done and that it will ALWAYS be for the praise of His glory. Also remember that Malachi 2:16 says:
“I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel, “and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence as well as with his garment,” says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.We know there’s never any praise or glory for the Lord in divorce, so we know that it IS God’s will for our marriages to be restored. We can see from these verses that even the circumstances we’re dealing with today will be used for the glory of God if we will “earnestly seek Him” as we’re told to do in Hebrews 11:6 and then Matthew 6:33 (KJV) tells us:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
And finally, in times of doubt, it is so important to remember and claim the awesome promise found in Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP, which says:
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
Then when you get discouraged and need to be reminded of how you can rely on these passages of scripture for the restoration of your marriage, read this awesome testimony,Marriage On The Only Rock, by Judy Rousseau.