The Lord says:
"My child, your 'winter time' is coming to an end. Your darkest time is coming to an end. The 'rain cloud' is gone and it's now time for rejoicing and a new hope. Whatever you have gone through during your darkest time, I see it and I understand it. It's time to wipe your tears away and look to Me. There is a new hope for you."
Indeed, your 'winter time' is coming to an end! It's a time for rejoicing! It's a time for a fresh new hope! No matter what you've been going through in recent times, even in your darkest of times, the light from the throne of God has started to shine on you! These are His words for you right now.
I believe the Lord isn't talking about the Northern Hemisphere or Southern Hemisphere geographically, i.e. the winter season in this physical world. But rather, He is talking about the 'spiritual winter' that many of His beloved have been going through in recent times.
What is a 'spiritual winter'? It can mean in a particular season, many things may seem to be dormant and inactive in one's life, or nothing significant seems to be happening in one's life. We all go through such a time at different seasons or stages in our lives. But take heart, beloved, because the Lord has spoken today that your 'winter time' is coming to an end! It's a time for you to rejoice! It's a time for you to look ahead with a fresh new hope!
In Isaiah 41:10, the Lord says: "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand."
In Isaiah 41:13, the Lord says: "For I hold you by your right hand. I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, 'Don't be afraid. I am here to help you.'''
What does 'right hand' signify here? It's a hand of blessing. It's a hand of strength. It's a hand of authority. In the Scripture, 'right hand' therefore signifies blessing, strength, and authority. All these have been released to you in this time and season. Receive by faith!
In Isaiah 41:17-18, the Lord says: "When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground."
In Isaiah 41:19-20, the Lord says further: "I will plant trees in the barren desert - cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine. I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means - that it is the Lord who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it."
Maybe you have been crying out to the Lord recently. Maybe you have been going through the darkest of nights recently. Maybe you have been going through some very difficult challenges in life recently. But I tell you what. Your cry has been heard by the Lord.
In Psalm 56:8-9, David wrote: 'You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me.'
The word 'tossings' here is 'node' in Hebrew. It can mean 'troubles' or 'aimless wanderings'. Here, David wrote that the Lord saw all that he has gone through. The Lord saw all his tears, and even kept it in His bottle! The Lord's bottle! Whether this is literally or symbolically, it speaks of the Lord remembering all of David's tears.
Now, it is the same with you, because you too are the beloved of God. The Lord remembers all your tears, and He is keeping all your tears in His bottle! In other words, He remembers all that you have gone through, and He understands all that you have gone through.
Indeed, nothing escapes the eyes of the Lord. Maybe you have been disadvantaged, you have been cheated, or you have been betrayed by some people in this world. But rest assured the Lord will know how to turn things around for you and reward you, even in ways unimaginable to you.
Now, this psalm, particularly these two verses, are beautiful words written by David. And he knew what he's writing. Why? Because he has gone through a lot in his life, and yet, he has also tasted and seen the faithfulness of God through it all. You name it: Distress. Discouragement. Lost hope. Humiliation. Betrayal. Slander from people. Jealousy from people. Conspiracy against him. He has gone through all that.
Yet the Lord actually gave him this assurance that He knows all that, He sees all that, and most importantly, the Lord's with him.
So beloved, if you are like David, and you think no one on this earth understands you, the Lord understands you. He has not forgotten all your pains, your griefs, and your disappointments in your life. He remembers every single tear that you've shed in secret, and even in your darkest of nights.
You can trust Him in this assurance, because He is (and will always be) a faithful God to you. And you can be assured that He will also know how to set you free from whatever the problem or situation that you may be facing recently. Amen!
