God is Faithful!
God radically changed my life, and I am no longer the worldly woman I once was, but I am not exactly in my “promised land.” God has brought me “out of the mud and the mire, and He quite literally set my feet on solid ground” (Psalm 40: 2. NIV), but I have yet to see my prayers answered. God changed my whole life when I surrendered to Him. (Luke 17:33 NLT) states: “If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.”
I saved my life by letting go of it; it was my best decision. Do you believe that? Do you believe God can change your life by saying Yes to Him? He can, and He is waiting for you to step out in faith and call out to him. God “can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV). We must hold onto our anchor of hope amidst the adversity and trials we are currently going through.
When our lives do not align with our hopes, we can sometimes begin to trust in our circumstances and what we can physically see more than in God himself. We can start to lose faith because God has not answered our prayers just yet or not in the way we wanted him to. God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV). His perfect timing is beautiful, and I have realized that what I desire is not always best for me and may not be the right timing. It is frustrating now, but just like (John 13:7 NIV) states, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” One of my favorite Authors and Missionaries, Elisabeth Elliot, quoted (Matthew 7:9-11 NIV) and said, “That sometimes we can pray for what we think is bread for us, but it is rocks, and God isn’t going to give us rocks.” You will thank God for your suffering and waiting in the future.
Later, you will be able to see God’s sovereign hand over your life and praise him because it is so much better than you imagined.
In our doubt, we need to hold on to God’s character and remind ourselves of who God has always been; his character never changes, and He is always forever faithful. He will make all things new! (Isaiah 43:19 NLT): “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Do not let your circumstances, the enemy, or yourself cause you to doubt God. You are who God says you are; what God says will happen despite how the circumstances may look. (Philippians 4:13 NLT) states, “You can do everything through Christ who strengthens you.” God is the God of the impossible; He will do what He says because God does not fail or break promises;
He is our promise keeper.
(Joel 2:25 NLT) He “will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts.” God reminded me that not only did He make me new, but He did not forget the time I sacrificed and the seeds that I planted. He also is a God who does not forget, and he is a God who can give you back double, like in Job. (Job 42:10 NLT) states, “After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.”
God is a loving father who runs, rescues, and restores you. He is the God who sees; He is El Roi. So do not be afraid and put your trust in God. (Psalm 56:3). Elisabeth Elliot quotes, “God will either give you peace in your storm and the strength to endure it, or he will take the storm away.” Either way, God is always right beside us. I pray that you start viewing yourself as the mighty, redeemed warrior you are for God’s kingdom and trust God’s grand plans for your life. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). Take that leap of faith and trust God with your future.
-Athena
Scriptures and Links Below:
- Psalm 40:2 NIV
- Luke 17:33 NLT
- Ephesians 3:20 NIV
- Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV
- John 13:7 NIV
- Matthew 7:9-11 NIV
- Isaiah 43:19 NLT
- Philippians 4:13 NLT
- Joel 2:25 NLT
- Job 42:10 NLT
- Psalm 56:3
- Jeremiah 29:11 NIV