Some time ago, I started my day with the certainty that God does not give us hopes and dreams, just to make it unattainable for us. If he puts something on our hearts, he has meant to put it there. And it is something that we can dare to hope for. To trust for.
For some time now I have been walking around with this thought and thinking about what I actually want to write about it. Although I knew that there is something there, I was not quite sure what it is that I need to say on this subject... So I decided to look up what scripture has to say about it.
This is what the Word of God says:
Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. (Psalm 37:4 AMP)
My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him. (Psalm 62:5 AMP) The Message says: Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.
The eyes of all look expectantly to You and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. (Psalms 145:15, 16 NKJV)
This confirms that God gives us hope and expectation. He knows about our heart's desires and secret petitions. The Bible says that your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. (Matthew 6:8 AMP)
But it also tells us to wait upon God. To be patient. To submit to Him. To His will.
We are assured that we can look expectantly to God. And He will give us what we need. But, not only does the Word speak of need, it also speaks of desire. All it requires is that He opens His hand. How reasurring to know that it is in His power to give us everything we need and desire! By the small act of opening His hand.
The problem comes with the silently submitting. With the waiting quietly. With the due season.
Patience is not my strong suit. I don't like to wait. Some days it feels like I have been waiting forever. And I ask how long do I still have to wait Father?!
In this fast paced, instant gratification, consumer driven world we live in, it is really hard to be patient. It is really hard to wait. Because we are taught that we can have everything NOW.
But Jesus tells us to be persistent in our asking: Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened. (Matthew 7:7, 8 AMP)
But Jesus tells us to be persistent in our asking: Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened. (Matthew 7:7, 8 AMP)
So we have to learn to step back and realise that God's thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8, 9 AMP)
The Word says that to everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1 AMP) Verse 11 says that He makes everything beautiful in its time.
One of the most beautiful promises in the Bible is found in the book of Jeremiah: I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. (Jeremiah 29:10-12 MSG)
One of the most beautiful promises in the Bible is found in the book of Jeremiah: I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. (Jeremiah 29:10-12 MSG)
So God really does want to give us our heart's desires. He wants to prosper us and give us the future that we hope for. We just have to keep on asking. And we have to be willing to wait for its time. For its season. And for when He wants to make it beautiful.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21 NKJV)
It's all about Grace... mx
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21 NKJV)
It's all about Grace... mx
