你们不知道所求的是什么。（太二十22）
在属灵生命中，有时会有困惑的时刻；若强说没有是解决不了问题的。这不是对或不对的问题，而是神有时要领你走一条你不明白的路，只有经过了这一段困惑时期，你才知道神想要的是什么。他的友情隐藏了（路十一5-8）。耶稣比喻中的那个人，好像对他的朋友漠不关心；有时候，在我们看来，天父也好像那个人。时候到了，一切都会明朗。心中的友情被云层遮蔽，有时连爱本身也要在痛苦与眼泪中等待那更完全契合的福气。当神似乎完全隐藏了，你能否依然因着对他的信心而坚持？
他的父爱在阴影里（路十一11-13）。耶稣说，天父有时像一个不近人情的父亲，冷漠不仁；要记住他不是这样的。我已告诉你：“凡祈求的就得着。”若此刻他的脸被阴影遮蔽，要持守到底，因为至终他必向你清楚解明，叫你知道他所容许的事都有其用意。他信实不比寻常（路十八1-8）。“人子来的时候，遇得见世上有信德吗？”他能否找到在困惑中仍紧抓着他信心的人？要在信心中起步，知道耶稣所说的是可信的，虽然当时你不明白他所作的。在你所祈求的事以外，神还有更重大更危急的事。
祈祷◆噢，主啊，今天我将要奉你的名传讲你的资讯，但我至今仍没有圣灵的感动。噢，因着耶稣基督的缘故，求你将你的思想传达至我那灵性迟缓的脑袋中。
September 12 By Spiritual Confusion
“Ye know not what ye ask.” Matthew 20:22
There are times in spiritual life when there is confusion, and it is no way out to say that there ought not to be confusion. It is not a question of right and wrong, but a question of God taking you by a way which in the meantime you do not understand, and it is only by going through the confusion that you will get at what God wants.
The Shrouding of His Friendship. Luke 11:5-8. Jesus gave the illustration of the man who looked as if he did not care for his friend, and He said that that is how the Heavenly Father will appear to you at times. You will think He is an unkind friend, but remember He is not; the time will come when everything will be explained. There is a cloud on the friendship of the heart, and often even love itself has to wait in pain and tears for the blessing of fuller communion. When God looks completely shrouded, will you hang on in confidence in Him?
The Shadow on His Fatherhood. Luke 11:11-13. Jesus says there are times when your Father will appear as if He were an unnatural father, as if He were callous and indifferent, but remember He is not; I have told you – “Everyone that asketh receiveth.” If there is a shadow on the face of the Father just now, hang onto it that He will ultimately give His clear revealing and justify Himself in all that He permitted.
The Strangeness of His Faithfulness. Luke 18:1-8. “When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” Will He find the faith which banks on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand off in faith believing that what Jesus said is true, though in the meantime you do not under stand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you ask.