Experiencing God's Presence #142

I will not fight against you forever.

Isaiah 57:16

“Yes, I fight against you—sometimes. Are you surprised? It isn’t because I’m opposed to you. I fight against you because I am on your side. If you want Me to support you in love, you also have to accept My truth. And My truth is sometimes opposed to your current direction, your current attitude, or your current perceptions. When that’s the case, I have to oppose you in order to bring you in line with Me.

“This may seem like a contradiction, but there’s no contradiction in My love for you and My desire to align you with My plans or to shape your heart in ways that might be uncomfortable. I want you to understand that in asking for My Presence, you are asking to conform. My Presence meets you where you are, but it doesn’t adapt to you; you adapt to the Presence. If you want more experiences with Me, expect to make adjustments. I want us to work together in perfect harmony. I’m teaching you to harmonize with Me.

“If you saw the big picture, you would agree with what I’m doing and actually choose it for yourself. You would plead with Me to fight against you because you would know that My redirection will result in far greater blessings for you in the end. So I’m not really opposing you; I’m opposing something in your life that is less than best for you. And only temporarily. My purpose is to bless you beyond your wildest imagination—greater than you can ask or think.

“When you feel resistance, don’t worry that I’ve abandoned you or am working against you. I’m not working against you; I’m working against an obstacle to My purposes for you. Rest in Me, trust Me, and follow My lead. I’ll take you to places you truly want to go.”

Lord, sometimes it seems You aren’t on my side. But I want to be in perfect sync with You. Draw me into Your purposes completely.

From the book