30 Days of Encouragement - Day 12
It's a Hard Thing to Accept, But It is The Truth
Is this you?
You believe God has given you a promise, and it hasn't come. You pray about it but, nothing happens. Now your faith is challenged because you see no results. Doubt is starting to take up more space in your heart.
You are confused. You examine yourself. "Have I done all that I should do?", you ask. "I put all the principles in place. I am confessing the Word, I am worshipping, praising, and giving. Where is my promise?!"
Hidden Emotion
You don't admit it, but you are mad at God. You have put Him on your timetable as though He had to answer to you. [We have all been there - thank God for mercy!]
You did all of the external stuff required, but the manifestation of your prayer is not here. Why?
It would be great to give you a really deep theological reason for this that could make you feel better, but that's not right. So, let me say this if you don't have it yet, it means that you aren't ready for it.
Obedience to The Process Will Bring The Promise
Not being ready does not always put the blame on us. There are many reasons one may not be ready. Maybe you're too young. Maybe you are not physically strong enough. Maybe you don't know enough. Maybe the timing isn't right and other things have to happen first.
No matter what 'not being ready' means, there is always a time of preparation necessary before 'being ready'. If the promise means that you have to get older, nothing will happen until you get older. If the promise means you have to get taller, nothing will happen until you get taller. If the promise means you have to train, nothing will happen until you train.
Bible Example
Things have to be in place before a promise can be fulfilled.
Look at Abram [Abraham] He was 75-years old when God promised to make him a great nation. [Genesis 12:4]. What was the next thing that happened? Abram obeyed God and left his homeland.
Becoming a great nation was contingent upon his obedience to God.
When Abram was 99, the Lord returned, changed his name to Abraham, and told him he was to have a son and become the father of many nations. But what happened next? God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son. He willingly obeyed God and took his son for sacrifice.
God spared Abraham's son leaving room for the 'make you the father of many nations' promise to come to pass. [Genesis 22:1-13]
Becoming the father of many nations was contingent upon his obedience to God.
I Want It, and I Want It Now!
The great nation promise and the father of many nations promise were 24 years apart. Both promises required obedience. And Abraham was only alive to see a portion of either promise come to pass.
We want the promise of God that has not manifested yet. Is there something we are neglecting? Something we are putting off completing? Something left undone that should be done?
It is the little things left undone that keep our blessings locked up. Obedience knits together the fabric that holds our blessing.
Obedience makes that fabric strong. Any holes in the fabric will cause the blessing to fall through. It can't hold it.
Why Should You Receive a Blessing If You Cannot Hold It?
You wouldn't try to carry water in a bucket if the bucket had a hole. Well, how can you expect God to give you a blessing that you are not able to hold?
Well, some of us have holes in our souls. Just like holes in a bucket make the bucket lose water, holes in our soul or soul holes make us lose our blessing.
What are Soul Holes?
Unforgiveness punches a big hole in the soul. What is done, has been done, we must forgive. We receive healing from the hurt and pain when we forgive.
Pride puts a hole in our soul. We must always remember that we don't have any ability or advantage that has not been given to us. Humble our souls by recognizing the love of God is as great for us as it is for them. [whoever them may be]
Hatred makes a giant hole in the soul. God is love. Hate is the complete opposite of love. Need I say more....
Be Ye Also Ready
How could Abraham receive the promise if he were not ready? If his soul was full of holes could he even be obedient to the Lord? It is the same for us. How can we keep or enjoy our blessing if there is a hole in our soul?
Soul Holes can be fixed. Drop pride, practice forgiving quickly, restore what you've damaged, ask others for forgiveness, pay what you owe, and stop murmuring and complaining, act right. All of this helps to close those soul holes.
Here is a thought... instead of crying over not having something, let's put on our big kid clothes and be obedient to what we KNOW we should be doing. Obedience ties up all of the loose ends and closes the holes. It is obedience that brings the blessing.
