What Stops us from Experiencing God's Promises

God offers promises of blessing in our lives. We cling to those promises as we make our way through whatever comes our way. But, often we don't feel like we ever really get to experience the reality of those promises in our lives. We feel like everything comes up short of what God has said.

Why is this?

Are we wrong in our understanding of what God said?

Are they things that aren't for us?

Have we missed something?

As I was studying the prophet Jeremiah recently, I noticed something important as it relates to this.

Jeremiah 16:19-20 says:

"Therefore this is what the Lord says:
If you repent, I will restore you
     that you may serve Me;
it you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
     you will be My spokesman.
Let this people turn to you,
     but you must not turn to them.
I will make you a wall to this people,
     a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
     but will not overcome you,
for I am with you
     to rescue and save you.
                    declares the Lord."

God made some pretty great promises to Jeremiah in these verses:

• God would restore Jeremiah
• God would make Jeremiah His spokesman
• The people would not overcome Jeremiah when they came against him
• God would be with Jeremiah and rescue and save him

But, God's words to Jeremiah begin with an important word: IF.

All these promises were for Jeremiah, but he had a choice to make if he wanted to experience them. Living in these promises required Jeremiah to take a step of obedience first. Jeremiah had to choose to turn back to God in repentance and follow Him even when other around him weren't.

I think that's important for us to understand. We're not doing something to try to earn God' favour. But, if we want to experience the fullness of God's promises to us, we have to choose obedience to His ways first. We have to choose to take whatever step is asking us to take. Once we make that choice to follow in obedience, we're able to experience the fullness of God's promises to us.

What is the step of obedience God has asked you to take?

What is holding you back from taking it?

Will you choose to trust God and take it anyways, so you can experience the fullness of what God wants to offer you?