Sorrow Precedes Promise

Psalms 30: 5, For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. NKJV

Have you been asking God to give you a promise that is written in His Word? If so, then allow me to share some insight with you so that you can endure the sorrow that precedes the inheritance of the promise. 

It's always exciting when married couples hear they are going to have their first child. The new mom just beams with joy and great anticipation over the thoughts of bringing a brand new life into the world. I see this quite often at our church. It's interesting to watch how new moms respond when they experience the various changes and stages of their pregnancy. For example, shortly after discovering they are pregnant, many women begin to experience "morning sickness." 

Later, as the pregnancy progresses, they realize how much of a toll this new creation is taking on their physical being. Then finally, the day of delivery arrives; the moment has come to bring little "Johnny or Susie" into the world. Suddenly, the joy of childbirth gives way to pain, sorrow, and anguish (John 16:21). The smile that was once on the face of the new mom has been replaced with screams and tears as she brings forth her child in delivery. Labor can't be allowed to go on for too long, or it could do irreparable damage to the mom. Therefore, if the delivery doesn't progress quickly enough, the doctor may determine to take the baby in surgery...causing even more pain and a much longer recovery time for the new mom.

Here's the point to today's word; it will help you hold on during the delivery process...while God is getting you ready to receive your promise. In today's scripture, we read that God's anger is for a moment. His favor is for life. Just as the birthing process doesn't take long, nevertheless, it produces much pain and sorrow for the mom, the same holds true when receiving a promise from God; we sometimes have to endure a short season of sorrow and suffering in preparation for our promise to arrive. 

There're a couple of dynamics taking place here that can help you better understand why suffering may be involved in receiving promises from the Lord. First of all, you're standing in faith on God's Word; and we know that this principle invites spiritual persecution (Mark 4:17). When persecution comes against us because of the Word's sake, it can cause us to back away from believing our promise will soon arrive, since suffering is involved at that point. 

There's another dynamic also at work. It requires us to continue to stand or endure even when the persecution or birth pains begin. In order to withstand and overcome any fleshly weakness that might cause us to abort the process of delivery, we have to continue to persevere by faith. Remember, a promise that is given by God can only be received by faith. Therefore, trials may begin shortly before delivery of a promise; they will try our faith to see if it is genuine. If we should decide that the promise isn't worth the pain or trouble, we may stop believing and give up on our faith. The Holy Spirit does not want us to give up. Hence, He directed me to write this for you today. He said, "It is at the point of breakthrough or delivery that many will stop the birthing process simply because they don't realize that suffering is an integral (essential to complete) part of inheriting the promises of God." 

Just like God's anger is for a moment, but His favor is for life, the season of sorrow is only for a moment compared to the length of time you will have to enjoy the promise. All we want is a promise; however, God wants us to be made complete in Christ through our faith. Consequently, anytime we ask for a blessing from the Lord, He sees it as an opportunity to develop His characteristics in us through our faith. 

Now, let's look at the other side of the "coin." Why do we experience the suffering that is involved when we begin to go into the delivery of our promise from God? It's also found in Mark 4:17. Satan persecutes us in an attempt to discourage us so that we won't push (endure) until the promise comes. The enemy's goal is to talk us into aborting the promise; nevertheless, God will reward us even greater when, in faith, we resist the Devil's temptations and keep on pushing. God gives us the promise in Romans 8 that He will work all things together for our good.

Therefore, if you're standing in faith waiting on a promise from God, and you're experiencing persecution keep pushing, enduring, and holding on in faith. When you hold the manifested promise in your hands, you will have shown your faith to be genuine; and you will have overcome the Devil, which means you have greater spiritual authority as a result of persevering. It is a win, win!

You Can Do All Things through Christ, 

Pastor Asa Dockery

Passion30@whcnorth.org