"Places"

"And he lighted upon a certain place..." Genesis 28:11a

There are "places" that we find ourselves in during our lifetime. When I used the word "places", I wasn't necessarily referring to physical location. There are places we find ourselves in mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Some of those places happen as a natural result of life. Death is a natural fact of life- it is appointed unto man once to die. When death hits close to home, we find ourselves in a "place" of grief and sorrow. Some "places" are by Divine appointment- God places us in locations and situations. Those places may be to our liking or not. Remember Joseph in the pit and the palace- divinely appointed by God.

There are also places that we find ourselves in by our "own doing"- we got ourselves there. The disciples found themselves in a place of discouragement, hopeless and fear after the crucifixion. Why and how did they get there? Because they did not believe the word that Jesus had spoken to them just days before. Jesus told them that He was going to be delivered up and put to death. He also told them that He would rise again on the third day. Had they remembered that, they would not have been in the place of despair that they were in. Had they remembered His words they would have been looking with expectation to the third day. They would have had joy and rejoicing of heart because they knew that the cross was not the end.

We, like them, find ourselves in places that we got ourselves into, and the primary reason is because we either forgot what the Lord had spoken to us or we didn't believe what He said. If you are in a place of discouragement, bewilderment, fear or confusion wondering what is happening and why, think back, has the Lord already spoken to you about that situation. Has He given you a promise either spoken to your heart or through His written word? If so, then that is the place you need to be instead-- in the place of standing in faith, peace and assurance that what He has said He will do, He will do.

Have a great day. Don't put yourself in a place because you aren't believing what the Lord has said. Instead put yourself in a place of faith.

For further reading:
John 20:19; 2:19
Hebrews 9:27
Matthew 12:40
Luke 9:44
Matthew 26