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?

Remembering What God Has Taught You

Sometimes we need to go back and remember the experiences of the past and how God has worked in them. They remind us of the God we serve, and that we've never been left alone.

I was reading some posts from near the beginning of this blog earlier today, and I was reminded of how God has worked in my life. Ten years ago, in September 2008, my comfy, safe world was shaken. It seemed like nothing was predictable anymore. 

But, it was also the beginning of a time of God refining my faith. Without even realizing it, I had begun to place my faith in things going as I had planned and everything making sense in my life. While I don't see the events of September 2008 as being planned by God, I can see how He used them to show me that and to bring me back to putting my faith in Him alone - not my circumstances.

It's important that we remember these sorts of things. When I forget this, it's easy to find myself back where I was ten year ago in a short time. But, when I remember these things that God has taught me, I'm reminded of where I need to keep placing my faith.

In Scripture, we see God directing His people to do exactly this. They were to build altars of remembrance and tell the stories of what God had done for them to the next generations. By communicating these stories and remembering these experiences, they would be encouraging each other to continue on in following God.

What are your experiences with God? How has He worked in your life? What lessons has He taught you?

What is Courage?

"Courage is fear that has said its prayers."

Those words were said to me by a friend in a conversation a little over 10 years ago. Something about these words resonated with me.

My friend wasn't saying that the fear had to go away for courage to exist. Rather, they were saying that courage can exist right alongside fear.

What it all comes down to, is how we handle the fear.

Are we going to allow fear to hold us back from doing something?

Or are we going to do it anyways - even if we still have fear?

I'm not talking about fear that keeps us safe, or keeps us from doing something stupid. That's a healthy and needed fear. The fear I'm talking about is the fear that often keeps us from doing what God is asking us to do. The fear that keeps us from stepping into an opportunity God is providing for us.

The kind of feat holds us back from what God has in store for us. It causes us to miss out on what God may be wanting to do in and through us.

This is what we sometimes have to choose to do something despite the fear. When we choose courage, and in the process, allow God to be shown in and through us.

We only develop this kind of courage when we've taken the time to develop our relationship with God. When we know Him well enough that we can admit our fear about what He's asking of us and declare our trust in Him for the outcome, even in the midst of fear.

"Courage is fear that has said its prayers."

Where do you need courage today?

How if fear holding you back?

Have you talked to God about it?

Will you choose to trust God and move forward anyways?