How many times has God promised you something and it felt like it was not coming to pass? Maybe you are there right now. He has promised something to you about your future, your finances, your family, or your health. What you see in front of you is NOT matching up to the promise he has given you. This place can be a really hard place to be. But, how many of you have reached when the promise comes to pass and reflect and think to yourself, “Well I worried for absolutely nothing” or “wow, how did you make that happen?”. I know for myself, I have done both.
Throughout a lot of worry and sleepless nights, panic attacks, and face palms, God has taught me some things I believe he wants to remind you of today. The first being that his thoughts are so much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). What seems to be “bad” or “uncomfortable”, may be really positioning you for the promise he has given you. Our culture specifically has made an idol out of comfort. We want things to go nice and easy, with no pain, suffering, or trials. But this is not what God has promised us. He tells us that we will go through trials. But, he shows us that these trials are what produce us to be more like him. We are being refined more and more to be like him! I do not believe that God’s attitude towards us through trials is “just suck it up”. If you believe this is how God helps you get through the trials. Take that lie captive and replace it with his truth. The truth about his plan for us is that no matter what we are going through, HE is working out EVERYTHING for OUR good (Romans 8:28). He gives us plans to prosper and not to bring us harm, thoughts of peace and not of evil (Jeremiah 29:11). If you are concerned with something, he wants you to cast your cares upon him because HE CARES (1 Peter 5:7). Jesus came down to earth and is not one who cannot sympathize with what we are going through (Hebrews 4:15). God is a Good Father and what the enemy may try to use you to stumble, God will work it out for the good.
Another things to remember is God’s track record. When you look back at all the times God has promised you something, his promises ALWAYS come to pass. So no matter what the situation looks like at hand, HE IS FAITHFUL. Did you know that he is known as Faithful & True? So how could God be anything but when FAITHFUL AND TRUE WHO he IS!? (Revelation 19:11). If you are feeling discouragement in this moment, take the time right now to remember all he has done, where he has brought you from to where you are now, and reflect on HIS faithfulness and PRAISE him for it!
Which leads me to the last thing he has gently reminded me… When we take our focus off HIM and put our focus on the CIRCUMSTANCE, we are putting our TRUST in the WRONG place! I may not know what you are facing right now, but I know the one who does and he cares. He wants to trade you what has burdening you for his yoke which is light! God never asked us to figure out the impossible, he simply asked us to TRUST in the one who MAKES the IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE! Things are not always going to make sense, that is why it is so important for you and I to both TRUST in him and lean not on our own understanding and he will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
If there is something hindering you from trusting God, I would ask him if there is a lie you are believing about him? Many times the reason why we have such a hard time is because somewhere along the way we started believing a lie. God is not like anyone you have ever met here on earth. He never breaks a promise, he is pure and undefiled, and he IS love. He is not just loving, HE IS LOVE. When he reveals the lie, ask him to replace it with his truth and ask him for forgiveness. If there is someone you need to forgive, do not forget to forgive them too. God is gracious and merciful. He is FOR you and loves you. Do not let what you can see here on earth distract you from what is actually going on in the spiritual. Keep your eyes focused on the things above, not the things of earth (Colossians 3:2). Do not worry about anything, praying about EVERYTHING! REMEMBER, he is FAITHFUL and TRUE and HIS word CANNOT come back VOID!
