Barbara
Godfrey

Contributing Writer

Barbara Godfrey is a former CBN staff contributor.

More from Barbara Godfrey

More from Barbara Godfrey

Come Out from the Tomb

Have you ever felt as though the burdens you encounter and the cares of the world have drawn the very life out of you? Well, I have good news for you! God wants you to "come out from the tomb."

He wants to raise you from the dead and give you new hope and strength to endure the difficulties of life.

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NIV)

We entomb ourselves with the sins of the world, allowing our lives to be wrapped in the shroud of despair. Because we have forsaken the "joy of the Lord," we no longer have the strength to fight!

"This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." b (NIV)

"The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!" (NIV)

As we continue in this state, we begin to grieve for who we once were in Him. We long for the sweet communion that once bloomed in our hearts. The merriment of that relationship is lost and the door to the tomb begins to close. Our worship no longer smells sweet but is a disappointing odor to God and those around us.

Our God is very capable of raising the dead and bringing complete restoration in our lives just as He raised Lazarus from the dead. He had to come out from the tomb.

Sometimes God allows us to be placed in the tomb to serve as a testimony to others when He brings us out.

"Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word."  (NIV)

This is relative to my situation when suddenly I was thrust into the role of a single parent. I allowed the sins of worry, unbelief, and doubt to take control. There was no joy in my life and depression allowed me to die. It was impossible to help anyone else because there wasn't enough strength to help myself. Now the door to my tomb was closed.

As I lay there in my state of lonely depression, God ministered to my heart that He was there. He promised that He would never leave nor forsake me. Immediately, strength came back into my soul.

The stone to my tomb rolled back as He whispered in my heart:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (NIV)

God used my situation as a witness to encourage others by giving them hope to live. We must focus our attention on Him, so we, like Lazarus, will be able to hear His voice when He calls: "Come out from the tomb."

No matter what your affliction or bondage is, God is able to raise you from the dead spiritually. When we place our faith and trust in Him, as we lie silently beneath the cares of life, He will do for us just as He did with Jesus. He will raise us from the dead, roll away the stone and say, "Come out from the tomb" and live. 

Copyright © Barbara Godfrey. Used by permission.

Through His Eyes

CBN.com - It's amazing how we view life experiences that cause us pain or discomfort as negative forces at work. But if we were to view them through His eyes, we would see a different picture.

Recently I had the opportunity to do just that with the death of my mother.

I remember when I first heard the doctors' report, I prayed, binding the enemy who came to steal life from her body, and loosening God's power to heal and restore her. I never stopped to ask God, "What is your desire in this situation?"

 

Then one day I went to visit my mom at the hospital and spent two hours listening to her talk to Jesus. Not once did she open her eyes to even see that I was there, yet I witnessed my mother's conversation with Jesus as He gave her a glimpse of Heaven! She began to ask, "Where am I now Jesus?" as her face beamed with excitement.

 

"Jesus, I need a little more air," I heard her say as she was struggling to receive oxygen. And then, "That's it, a little more. OK, thank you, Jesus."

Another time she said, "Jesus, my feet are cold. I need some more cover." Again she voiced, "That's it. Thank you, Jesus." At that moment I looked to see if the cover moved.

The Lord quickened in my spirit : "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (KJV).

The next day my mom was a new person, sitting up in bed and eating, doing all the things she hadn't done the day before.

In the days that followed, my mother's health worsened. I began to ask God, "What is Your desire for her?" For the first time I had peace in saying, "God, may Your will be done in her life." I was able to say, "Lord, take her home," rather than watch her suffer, because God had given me a glimpse of the joy she had in Him.

As I have learned, we must always view every situation through God’s eyes to see the true picture.

In the Dark

Have you ever wondered why it seems that the longer you remain in the dark, the clearer things become? It is awesome how God causes this to be so in the natural as well as in the spiritual.

I remember many times as a child being afraid of the dark. My father would say, "Do not be afraid. Just keep looking and you will begin to see." That reminds me of how eloquently our Heavenly Father says the same thing:

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1 KJV

When I reflect on the course of my life, I find I gain the most spiritual insight during times of deep despair. Not only do I learn how faithful God is, but I also learn how and why He orchestrates these situations.

During one of my most desolate times, I learned exactly what these Scriptures mean.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that Love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)  KJV

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  KJV

I have often wondered, "Lord, why is there so much pain? Why must I feel the agony of rejection and loss?" Through my crying out to God, I heard His voice reminding me of a prayer I whispered years ago but had forgotten.

He said, "My child, remember you asked Me to show you those who were broken hearted and hurting?"

"Yes," I cried.

"How can you minister to them unless you have felt their pain?"

At that moment, the tears of sadness turned to tears of joy, because in this dark place, I was able to see the light!

God is a loving and merciful Father, and everything we encounter in our lives is because of His love. It causes us to grab hold of Him, exercise our faith, and mature into vessels fit for His service. Suddenly, I realized He answered my prayer and was equipping me to do the work I requested so long ago!

Whenever you find yourself in the dark, do not be afraid. Remember this:

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  KJV

God wants to use us to light the pathway for others in darkness so they can find their way to Him.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  KJV

When you are walking through a dark time in your life, be encouraged by this verse:

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."  KJV

Being in the dark is not a bad thing; it can be a time to grow in God, a time to learn to trust God, and a time to be thankful for all God has done for us. This will give us compassion for others as God shows them the light in their darkness.

Copyright © 2006 Barbara Godfrey. Used by permission.